What Is Love?
by suffocatingonsadness
Summary: Follow Clary, Jace, Izzy, Simon, Alec, and Magnus on their journey to find the meaning of love! (Clace, Sizzy, Malec) Slow burn!
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

 **So, inspiration struck again, and I couldn't wait to share this with all of you! This story is a little different than my others, but I hope you like it anyway! I am uploading the first two chapters first but than I will be slow with updating this story, it's harder to write for me considering it's all in third person and I have three different stories within this story, so be patient with me! Let me know what you all think! Enjoy, "What Is Love?"**

 **Disclaimer - I don't own the characters and most of what I talk about in this story! They all belong to Cassandra Clare, and I'm just simply using her beautifully designed characters to help make my story!**

 **This Story will talk about some pretty deep stuff later on, and I just wanted to warn you all now that it might get dark, but it won't be dark forever!**

 **Chapter One:**

Love was something people didn't think teenagers could believe in. They were too immature, and too young to know what it truly meant to love someone. To love someone so whole-heartedly and do absolutely anything that person needed you to do, even if it wasn't in a romantic was a concept most people couldn't grasp.

There were special cases though, for some finding true love was something they encountered very early on in life, and they were lucky enough to grab it while they had the chance. It might be unconventional, and at an inconvenient time, or maybe at the perfect time. Sometimes people pushed love away because it was too terrifying to face, and sometimes people chased love no matter how far they ran because they knew that it was meant to be. Sometimes people threw away love because they were ashamed of it, they were ashamed of how people would react and how they would be viewed.

Love is something that every person deserves to feel. To be in love, to be loved, and to love. It was a concept that was so incredibly mystifying, and scary, but so completely worth it in the end. Love is hard work, and it requires compromise, and understanding. It can't be rushed or one ended. Being in love with someone should be as easy as breathing, but also it should require everything you have because without the work, it just isn't real.

Love was something people strived to find in life, and it may happen when you're 17, or it may happen when you're 45, but that doesn't make it any less real or true or important. Age is just a number, and love is a continuous journey that both parties need to be fully invested in for it to work. What is love? It's different to everyone, and it changes with every person. Love doesn't have one distinct definition, but it has the same end goal. It ends in happiness, and smiles, and laughter. Love is a journey, and one way or another; everyone was going to end up on that road.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

Clary and Jace were never meant to be friends. They ran in two different circles in school. Jace was the popular kid who was the star soccer player who could do whatever he wanted in life. Clary was the art girl who didn't socialize with many people. She had Simon, and that's all she needed in life.

Clary couldn't wait for the day she could graduate and move to England and pursue her art career. She wanted out of this town, this state, this country and she was counting down the days until that happened.

Jace didn't know what he wanted to do with his future. He knew he didn't want to stay where he was, but he also didn't know where he wanted to go. Life was a giant grey area for him, and he knew he should figure out what he wanted to do, but he just really wasn't sure.

Jace was sitting in English class and not paying attention at all. He didn't care about the Canterbury Tales, all he could think about was the game that was tomorrow. He was staring out the window when he heard his name being called.

"Do you know the answer Jace?" The teacher asked, and Jace just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"No." He simply said.

"Were you even paying attention?" The teacher asked him.

"Not really." Jace said and she rolled his eyes.

"Detention Jace. After school today, I have a job for you to do." She said and he nodded. The rest of the class went by quickly, and when the end of the day Jace met his teacher in her classroom. "Nice of you to join me, as you know I am also the art teacher here, and I have a meeting with the teachers and no time to clean up the art room today. Would you mind helping me out?" She asked and Jace just nodded his head. He made his way to the art room and was surprised to see that it wasn't empty. Sitting at a canvas was a redhead that looked lost in thought as her brush moved effortlessly across the blank sheet. Jace cleared his throat and she jumped and turned around.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Detention. Mrs. Caroli asked me to clean up the art room for her while she's in a meeting." Jace said. She looked at the clock and cursed.

"I didn't realize it was so late." She said as she started cleaning up her area.

"You don't have to do that." Jace said and she looked at him. "It's my job to clean up after all."

"I don't mind. I made quite the mess." She said as he grabbed some paintbrushes and they both headed over to the sink. "How about you hand me the brushes and I'll rinse them off?"

"Sounds like a plan." He said as he started collecting more. Clary wasn't thinking properly and pushed her sleeves up over her elbows so they wouldn't get wet. She was humming to herself when Jace came over and handed over a few more brushes. He was about to turn around when he saw the faint marking of scars running along her arms. Left and right, were both marked with similar lines that looked old. He didn't know much about Clary, only that she was really into art, but this spiked his interest. He was curious what had happened to cause such marks and if it was still going on or if it was in her past.

It was weird to Jace, to be in a room with a girl and she wasn't shoving her boobs in his face, or swooning, or trying incredibly hard to flirt. Clary didn't once bat her eyelashes at him, or voluntarily lick her lips, or giggle at everything he said. He found her company quite calming and familiar, almost like they had met in a past life or something. He decided that he wanted to keep this going, and that Clary would be a good person to get to know, and he planned on getting to know her.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Music was blaring in Izzy's ears as she walked through the halls of Idris Area High School. She was waving to her 'friends' and all her admirers. She knew she was pretty, and she knew how to use it when she wanted to get her way. On any normal day she would stop and flirt, and gossip with all her friends, but today wasn't that day. Izzy had gone out partying a couple nights ago and hooked up with a random guy. She was having fun, living her teenage years the right way, and she didn't care what people thought of her, because everyone loved her.

Izzy had everything going for her in life, but when she had a pregnancy scare, suddenly her whole perspective of life changed. She could be carrying another life in her right now, with a guy she didn't even know, or remember his name, and that was a scary thought for Izzy. She didn't want that, at least not yet. Settling down was something Izzy only thought about sporadically, she wanted to start a business, and get her life together before she even thought about anything that involved a man. Of course finding a man that would be able to handle Izzy's attitude, and high maintenance personality, and drop dead gorgeous looks was a problem. No guy ever showed interest in her, but in her looks, or her status, or in who her parents were. Which is why Izzy kept her heart guarded. She wasn't going to let some guy walk into her life, make her feel like a princess and than completely crush her, nope, Izzy wasn't about to let that happen. She was independent and she didn't need anyone who didn't need her.

Simon was probably the nerdiest guy you'd ever meet. He wore gamer t-shirts, and glasses, and he played D&D, and he was in a god awful band that had a new name every week. His only friend that was of the opposite gender was Clary, and she was like a sister to him. Although he didn't have a lot of social skills when it came to girls, he understood them. Growing up with a sister, and a mom, and having Clary as a best friend gave him a lot of practice with understanding and helping them. He certainly wasn't the person that you'd expect to know exactly how to get a girl to laugh after she just cried for 3 hours, but he could do it, and when Simon saw Izzy sitting under a tree looking very alone and sad, he decided that the worst thing that could happen was she asked him to leave, and he walked over to her. She looked like she was inside her own head, and when Simon cleared his throat and she looked at him, he knew this was probably a terrible idea.

"Why are you sitting with me?" She asked in a very judgmental tone, which didn't catch Simon off guard, but that didn't mean it wasn't hard to hear.

"You looked like you had something important on your mind, and I thought maybe you'd like to talk about it." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"The last person I'd talk to is you Sherwood." Izzy said and Simon sighed.

"It's Simon, but I thought I'd ask." Simon said as he got up. "I hope whatever's bothering you works itself out." He said as he walked over to his car. He pulled out of the parking lot leaving a confused Izzy. She knew she was rude to him, but she didn't really care. How she felt wasn't an open invitation for nerds to talk to her. After another 20 minutes Izzy got up and went to her car and made the drive home. She went straight up to her room and avoided any type of conversation with her family, right now she just wanted to be alone, and to forget that she thought she as pregnant, she wanted to leave that wild life behind her. She didn't want to feel like this again, and she was certain that no matter what happened in life, she would never be 'that girl'.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec had always been the black sheep of his family. Izzy had the role of 'daddy's little girl' down to a science, Jace was adopted and for some reason his parents felt the need to give him more attention because of that fact, and Max was the baby. Alec was always just there. He would watch out for Izzy when she decided to get wild, or back Jace up when he was about to get in a fight with someone, and he watched Max whenever his parents asked.

When Alec graduated high school and went off to college it was a whole new world. He didn't have to be responsible for anyone but himself, and he didn't have to hide who he was. He could be whoever the hell he wanted to be without any repercussions if anyone found out from his family. Alec loved college, and he loved being independent of his family, and the fact that he had Magnus was a plus as well.

The day Magnus saw Alec on campus he was captivated. He would get lost in his sapphire blue eyes, and his fingers wanted nothing more that to grab his jet black hair and kiss him until he couldn't breath. The first time they spoke it had been the dumbest conversation. Magnus asked his if he like cheese, and they talked about cheese for a good 10 minutes. When they had to go in different directions for class, Magnus couldn't get the smile off his face, he liked Alec, and he knew that he had some effect on him as well.

They flirted for a couple weeks, and one night Magnus saw Alec taking a walk at night and he decided to join him. After walking in silence for a couple minutes Magnus couldn't take it anymore and kissed him. It was the most spectacular kiss either one of them had ever experienced and they couldn't get enough of each other. They would sneak around the library, or find an empty room on campus to make out in. It was all very new to Alec, but he was lost in the euphoria of Magnus Bane and he never wanted it to stop.

Magnus knew that Alec was new at expressing his sexuality to people. He assumed that he was still in the closet at home, and that finally being able to be true to himself was exciting and invigorating. Magnus knew that this wouldn't last long. He knew that being involved with a closeted guy was going to be hard, and infuriating at time, but Magnus couldn't get enough of Alec either. His lips were like ecstasy and he was addicted.

It was a normal Tuesday and Alec and Magnus were both done classes, and Alec's roommate was gone for the rest of the night so Magnus and Alec were making out on his bed. They were getting hot and heavy when a knock on the door broke them apart.

"Shit. I forgot my parent's were stopping by tonight." Alec said as he pushed Magnus off of him. He fixed his clothes and tried to fix his hair when another knock sounded at the door. Magnus sat down and sighed. Alec opened the door and there stood Maryse, Robert, and the youngest Max. "Hey guys."

"Alec!" Max yelled and launched himself at Alec.

"Hey Max, you ready for that soccer game tonight?" Alec asked and he nodded enthusiastically. "It's good to see you guys."

"You too Alexander." Maryse said and Alec nodded. "I didn't realize you had company." Maryse said as she eyes Magnus over Alec's shoulder.

"Yea, I forgot you were coming. That's my friend Magnus, we were just studying." Alec said quickly.

"Oh, are you both studying the same thing?" Robert asked and Alec shook his head.

"No, he is a fashion major." Alec said. "We both have tests at the end of the week, and decided to study together so we would motivate each other to not give up and take a nap." Alec said nonchalantly. Lying was so easy for Alec because he had been doing it for years.

"Very well, we should get going. We don't want Max to be late. It was wonderful seeing you Alexander." Maryse said. "Nice meeting you Magnus."

"You as well Mrs. Lightwood." Magnus said. They all said goodbye and Alec shut the door and took a deep breath.

"That was close." Alec said as he smiled but Magnus was less than thrilled. He grabbed his back and grabbed his coat. "Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving." Magnus said.

"Why?" Alec asked confused.

"I can't be involved with a closeted gay Alec, I've done it before and it's not easy or fun."

"Magnus." Alec started but Magnus cut him off.

"Alec, I like you, a lot. These last few weeks have been amazing, but I just can't do that again. I can't pretend."

"I'm not ready to come out yet Magnus." Alec said and Magnus walked over and put his hand on Alec's cheek.

"Call me when you are Alec." He said and he walked to the door and left leaving Alec crushed and confused. He liked Magnus and he liked being around him and kissing him and being able to be himself with him, and he just lost that.

Alec didn't even know where he was going but he couldn't stay in his room. He grabbed his keys and his wallet and threw on his coat. He started walking down the street and when he found a bar he went inside. He wanted to forget that Magnus left him, and that he was too cowardly to come out to his parents, and that he wasn't truly happy with hiding but it was all he knew. He downed his first 4 shots without a second thought and his mind started becoming fuzzy, and that's exactly what Alec needed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I got carried away today and couldn't stop writing this story so I have this chapter for you all and I hope you like it! I'm really loving where this story is going, and the slow progression of their relationships, and I hope you like it as well! Let me know what you all think! :)**

 **Chapter Three:**

The rest of the week passed and Jace couldn't get Clary out of his head. No matter what he tried, she was always what his mind came back too. It was weird for him to be hung up on a girl. It had never happened before, and the fact that the person who he couldn't stop thinking about was someone who he didn't really consider until he actually talked to her was strange.

Jace had soccer practice today and he was wondering the halls of the school passing time. He wondered past the art room when he saw her vibrant red hair. He stood in the doorway and watched her paint. He loved watching her completely in her element. He could see how much passion she put into her work, and she was good. Not surprising, he had always seen her around with a book she was constantly drawing in. Jace was so lost in his mind that he didn't realize Clary was staring at him.

"What are you doing here?" Clary asked and Jace was brought back to reality.

"I was walking around and I saw you in here." Jace said as he pushed himself out of the doorway and started walking towards her.

"And you just decided to stand and stare?" She asked and Jace laughed.

"It's very mesmerizing to watch you paint." Jace said. "You're really good." Jace said and a blush crept across Clary's face, and Jace couldn't help but want to make her blush again.

"I sure hope so. I plan to make it my career." She said as she started painting again.

"You want to be an artist?" Jace asked and she nodded.

"Yup. I want to own my own gallery, and sell my paintings, and have the world know who Clary Fray is." She said and Jace couldn't help but smile at how ambitious she was. He wished he had his life figured out. It was quiet for a moment before Clary spoke again. "What about you?"

"I don't know what I want to do with my life." Jace confessed and Clary stopped painting and looked at him.

"Well, what are you interested in?" Clary asked.

"I don't know. A bunch of stuff I guess." Jace responded.

"Do you want to play soccer professionally?" Clary asked and Jace shrugged.

"I mean, I'm good, but there are a lot of good soccer players out there."

"Have any hobbies?" Clary asked and Jace laughed.

"I play the piano, but I doubt I could go anywhere with it." Jace confessed. He had no idea why he was spilling his soul to Clary, but she was just so easy to talk too, and he felt like he could trust her.

"Are you any good?" Clary asked and Jace smirked.

"I'm pretty good." Jace said and Clary laughed. It was the most beautiful sound Jace had ever heard. His phone proceeded to go off signaling that it was time for practice, Jace stood up and Clary smiled at him.

"Well, maybe one day you can play for me." Clary said and Jace smiled. A genuine smile.

"Maybe I will Red." Jace said and he started walking out. Jace liked the chemistry between them. It wasn't awkward, or uncomfortable, or tense. It was natural, and their conversation just seemed to always have a purpose and he liked that. Jace changed quickly and made it out onto the field. He went through the motions of practice but his mind was completely focused on Clary.

Clary had washed the paintbrushes and was on her way out of the school when he saw the boys soccer team practicing. She stopped in her tracks and decided to sit and watch for a little. She didn't have to be home anytime soon, and she was a little curious to see how good Jace actually was. She took a seat on the bleachers and started sketching mindlessly. Her eyes immediately landed on the golden boy standing in the middle of the field, shirtless, with one foot on the ball. Her cheeks flushed red, and she ducked her head and tried not to stare. He was captivating, and she was drawn to him in a way that didn't make any sense, but she didn't mind. She was pulled out of her thoughts when her phone started ringing. She looked at who was calling and it was her mom.

"Hello?" Clary answered.

"Clary, I need you to pick a few things up from the store." Her mom said.

"Sure, what do you need?" Clary asked.

"The ingredients to make meatloaf and mashed potatoes." Her mom said.

"Of course. I'll see you at home." Clary said and she hung up. She packed her sketchbook and made her way down the bleachers. She took one last look at the field and her eyes locked with Jace's. He smiled at her, and it took everything in her not to melt right there. She smiled back and made her way to her car. She didn't know what was happening between them, but she wasn't complaining.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy was late to school and standing at her locker getting her books when she heard voices. She closed her locker and started making her way to class, but before she turned the corner completely she saw Aline and Kaelie talking to Maia and Helen. She stood at the corner listening to what they were talking about.

"You can't be serious?" Izzy heard Helen say.

"I'm so serious." Aline said.

"How did you find out?" Maia asked.

"Stupid bitch left her journal out when she went to the bathroom yesterday." Aline said and Izzy was confused.

"But are you sure it said she thought she was pregnant?" Kaelie said and Izzy's heart sank.

"It was very clear that she really thought she was pregnant." Aline said. "I'm not surprised. Izzy is such a slut, I'm surprised she doesn't eat Plan B pills like tic taks." Izzy couldn't listen to anymore. She ran right out of the school and over to the tree she was sitting at a couple days ago. How could she be so careless? She knew one of those skanks would do anything to get dirt on her. They hated her, she knew that, but she didn't care, and now they would tell the whole school about her business and Izzy don't know how to handle that.

Izzy didn't want to face the school today, and decided to just sit under that tree for however long she wanted. She was in a complete daze, she didn't know how much time had passes, all she knew was that her social life was completely shattered, and she just had to suck it up and take it.

Simon was sitting in class and talking to his friend Jordan. Simon wasn't really paying any attention to what he was saying until he heard Izzy's name. Simon shook his head and turned towards Jordan.

"Sorry, what was that last thing you said?" Simon asked Jordan.

"Izzy had a pregnancy scare. According to Maia anyway." Jordan said.

"And how does Maia know?" Simon asked.

"Aline told her this morning." Jordan said.

"And how does Aline know?" Simon asked trying to get to the bottom of this.

"Izzy left her journal on her desk the other day when she went to the bathroom and Aline read about it." Jordan said and Simon was disgusted.

"That's an invasion of privacy." Simon spat at Jordan and he just shrugged.

"I didn't read it dude, I'm just telling you what I know." Jordan said and the bell rang. Simon knew that this was flying around school, and that it wasn't just a rumor Aline read it directly from Izzy.

Izzy sat under that tree for what seemed like forever when she heard a bell. She looked at her phone and realized that it was lunch time. She didn't care anymore, about anything really. She put her phone down and continued to sit there. There were kids who were leaving the campus to go get food and when they would spot Izzy they would start whispering. I guess this was Izzy's new reality. She had tried so hard to keep the tears away but she couldn't do it anymore. They started streaming down her face, and she had no will to stop them.

Simon walked outside to grab his lunch out of his car. When he was halfway there he noticed a girl sitting under a tree. He looked over and saw Izzy sitting there looking completely devastated. He couldn't imagine having his personal business whispered around school, and his heart went out to the girl. He knew that he had been yelled at by her for sitting next to her before but he didn't really care right now, she needed someone, and he decided to be that someone. Simon walked right over to her and sat down. Izzy looked at him with tear stained cheeks, and tear filled eyes and he put his arm around her and pulled her into his side and let her cry.

Neither Izzy nor Simon knew how long they were sitting like that, but Simon knew he was missing the rest of the day. When Izzy started to calm down she pulled away from Simon and dried her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Izzy asked.

"I saw you crying and thought maybe you could use a shoulder to cry on." Simon said.

"But why? I was awful to you." Izzy said as she remembered her last encounter with him, she truly was a bitch to him and he was just trying to help.

"No one deserves to have their business painted around for everyone to know." Simon said and Izzy let out a dry laugh.

"Figures Aline would find a way to put me on blast and ruin me." Izzy said. "I can't believe I even considered a friend."

"Aline doesn't have a loyal bone in her body." Simon said and Izzy looked at him curiously. "I'm gonna share a little secret with you about her." Simon said and Izzy was curious as to what Simon of all people could know about Aline. "A couple weeks ago I was doing some office work, and I was on an errand to give Mr. Hamilton some papers and when I turned the corner I saw Aline and Helen making out."

"No way!" Izzy shouted and Simon just nodded. Izzy couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, especially because she was laughing because of Simon.

"I swear to god. They were in the middle of a pretty heated make out session." Simon said and Izzy laughed again.

"I can't believe she's a lesbian." Izzy said and Simon just nodded. "And she called me a slut. At least I'm not swinging both ways. Who knows how many people she's been with."

"No idea, and not really interested, but I thought maybe you could use a little pick me up." Simon said as he got up. He held his hand out and Izzy took it and he helped her up. "You should head home. There is no reason for you to stay here and face all the students who will file out at the end of the day." Izzy nodded and they both started walking towards their cars. They weren't parked that far away from each other and when Izzy opened her door she stopped and looked at Simon.

"Thank you Simon." She said and Simon turned around. "You had no reason to do what you did for me, especially after how I treated you."

"It was no problem Isabelle. I'm happy to help." Simon said as he got into his car. Izzy got into hers and started her way home. She didn't know if a friendship just formed or if he had just felt sorry for her, but at the moment Izzy didn't care. He had comforted her when she didn't deserve it, and she was thankful for that.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

It had been a week since Magnus walked out on Alec, and Alec was still devastated. He knew that one day he would have to come out to his family, but he just couldn't do it yet. On some level, Alec understood why Magnus had did what he did. But that didn't mean he had to like it. Every time Alec had caught a glimpse of Magnus on campus his heart broke all over again. He wanted to be with Magnus, more than he ever thought he'd want to be with someone, but maybe he wasn't ready, and maybe it would take some time to be ready to completely commit to Magnus the way he wanted too, but knowing he was so close to being completely happy and having it ripped away was the worst feeling.

Magnus hated walking out on Alec but it was the right move. He had been the 'dirty little secret' before and it wasn't fun. He couldn't put himself in that position again and as much as it pained him to walk away, he had to do it. For himself and for Alec. Since they weren't the same major, Magnus and Alec didn't cross paths often, which was fortunate for the both of them, but when Magnus did catch glimpses of Alec, is was like a weight was put on his heart.

Alec had decided to go home for the weekend so he was sulking around in his room. He hadn't really talked to Izzy or Jace in a while and he really needed some time with his siblings.

When he got home he went straight up to Izzy's room and knocked on the door. When she opened it he could tell she had been crying. He was immediately filled with worry and walked into her room.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked and Izzy broke down, clearly someone terrible had happened, and he would get to the bottom of it, but he just needed to be there for her right now, and that's what he was going to do. After about 10 minutes of Izzy crying into Alec's chest the door bursts open and Jace is standing there all sweaty from practice. "What's wrong?" Alec asked for the second time because Jace looked pissed off.

"Izzy, is it true?" Jace asked and Izzy sat up and whipped her eyes. "Please tell me it's a sick rumor."

"Is what true?" Alec asked. They both looked at Izzy and she simply nodded.

"Izzy." Jace said and Alec stood up.

"Alright someone tell me what the hell is going on." Alec said and Jace looked at Izzy and she just nodded. Jace looked back up to Alec.

"Izzy had a pregnancy scare." Jace said and Alec felt like he just had the wind knocked out of him.

"You what!?" Alec said trying not to yell. "How did that happen?"

"I don't know. I was really drunk." Izzy confessed and Alec held the bridge of his nose. He knew that Izzy was clearly really affected by this but he also couldn't help but feel so angry at her. "I'm sorry."

"Izzy, you can't keep partying like that." Alec said and she nodded.

"I know. I'm done. I promise. This was eye opening." Izzy said and Alec nodded. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before going to his room. He laid on his bed and stared at his ceiling. He wanted to text Magnus and talk to him. Tell him about Izzy, and how he felt. But he couldn't. Magnus told him to call him when he was ready, and right now just isn't the time. He threw his phone across his room and closed his eyes.

Magnus was walking around his apartment thinking about Alec. He hated that he had completely grabbed his attention and now he couldn't let him go. This was torturing him even more but he couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful man who he was starting to fall for.

When the doorbell rang and he opened it to see Ragnor standing there he couldn't have been more relieved. He welcomed him in and they sat down in silence for a moment before Ragnor couldn't take it anymore.

"Why did you ask me here?" Ragnor asked and Magnus sighed.

"I was falling in love with a closet gay Ragnor, and I cut him lose." Magnus confessed.

"So what's the problem?" Ragnor asked.

"I didn't want to let him go." Magnus said.

"But you did?" Ragnor asked confused.

"I can't go through that again. You know how hard it was with Woolsey. I refuse to be that unhappy because of a man again." Magnus said and Ragnor sighed.

"You just have to be patient with him." Ragnor said.

"I'm afraid he won't ever come out." Magnus said.

"Than maybe it wasn't meant to be." Ragnor said and Magnus sighed. He knew that the possibility of Alec never coming out was true and that killed Magnus even more. Because no matter what happened with them, or in his life, he knew Alec was special and that he would never find someone like him ever again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note:**

 **So, this is the next installment of "What Is Love?" and I hope you all enjoy it! I know Alec and Magnus don't have a lot going on at the moment but it will get more involved later, but I just didn't know where to take there relationship problems yet! Let me know what you guys think! :)**

 **Chapter Four:**

The last couple weeks had been weird for Jace and Clary, not a bad weird, but a different weird. A weird they both weren't used too. They had fallen into a sort of a routine. Clary pretty much stayed after school every day to paint. And on the days that Jace had practice he would go find her and spend 15 minutes talking until he had to leave. Than once Clary was done, she would go out and watch their practice for a little. It had become normal for them, and when Jace had a game he often searched the crowds for Clary. He didn't know why he wanted her there, but he knew that he couldn't stop himself from looking for her hair.

Today was one of the biggest games Idris played all year, and that was because it was their rival school and they had to win. He was nervous, but that was normal. He just wanted the school day to be over so he could quickly check the art room for Clary. For some reason he thought seeing her before the game would help calm the nerves. When the final bell rang he practically ran out of his class and grabbed his things from his locker and headed to the art room. To his surprise it was empty. He sighed and leaned against the doorframe.

"Jace?" He heard and he looked up to see Mrs. Caroli standing there. "What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to find Clary." He said and she smiled and nodded.

"She wasn't in school today." She told him and he got worried. I mean, it's not like Clary has to tell him her life, but something didn't feel right.

"Oh. Okay." Jace said and he left the room. He walked to the locker room in a daze wondering what was wrong with Clary. Was she sick? Was she out of town? Was something wrong? Every scenario ran through his head, but was quickly interrupted by the coach coming in to talk to the team. For now Jace would have to put Clary aside and focus on the game, no matter how much didn't want too.

Clary woke up and got ready for school like she did every day. She got her books ready and went downstairs where she was greeted by her mom. She looked upset, and Clary didn't understand why.

"Clary, we need to talk." Her mom said. Clary nodded and took a seat. "I got a call the other day, and apparently Jonathan is up for a hearing to discuss parole." Her mom said and Clary felt her heart drop. She wanted nothing more than to run out of that house, and never return, but she was frozen in her seat. "Jonathan swears he changes, but they want to hear from you."

"Why me?" Clary asks.

"Because you're the one he…..assaulted. If you go in there and tell them how you really feel, he could get parole taken completely off the table." Her mom said.

"Can I tell them that he's a piece of shit who deserves to rot in hell for what he did to me?" Clary spat and her mom sighed.

"You can say whatever you want Clary, but they want to hear from you." Her mom said.

"Okay, when do I have to talk?" Clary asked.

"We are meeting with our lawyer in an hour. He'll tell us everything we need to know." Her mom said and Clary nodded. This wasn't how she wanted to spend her weekend. She didn't want to relive the worst moment of her life, and the most traumatic thing she'd ever been through. Clary hopped off the stool and made her way upstairs. She locked the door and than went into her bathroom and locked that as well. She grabbed a razor and broke it apart. She grabbed the blade and sliced through the skin that was still heeling. 8 cuts. 4 for the number of years it's been, and 4 for the number of times she's tried to take her own life because of it. She let the blood drip for a few seconds before she started cleaning herself up.

The meeting with the lawyer had been pretty routine. Clary would have to go in front of a judge in three weeks and retell the most horrific thing that ever happened to her, and how she felt about her brother possibly getting out of jail. When Clary got to school on Monday she didn't know how anxious she was to see Jace. They didn't cross paths at all during the day, and all she had was the 15 minutes at the end of the day. She didn't mind it though. She had a free period at the end of the day and she spent that time in the art room painting. Today she felt particularly dark and decided that her painting was going to reflect that. She grabbed the red paint and let her hand create the image.

When Jace started walking towards the art room he didn't know how to feel. He didn't know if Clary would be there, or if she was out again but he had to see. When he got to the room and he saw the vibrant red hair a weight was lifted off his chest that he didn't even know was there. She was so focused that Jace decided to just walk up and sit next to her. As he got closer he saw what she was painting. He sat down next to her but she still didn't stop. She was in a trance and she was on a roll. They sat there in silence for a while until Clary finally put the paintbrush down. Jace noticed that tears were streaming down her face, but he didn't say a word. He reached his hand over and put it on top of hers. They sat there, neither uttering a single word, but that didn't matter. Clary knew that he was comforting her, and Jace knew she didn't want to talk about it. For right now nothing else mattered, but the silent conversation the two were having.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

This was Izzy's first day back since her secret was spread. She had convinced her parents to let her stay home but they told her that she had to go back today. Izzy wasn't looking forward to the day, but she had to get it over with eventually. Izzy kept her head down most of the day. She heard people whispering but she didn't really care. When lunch rolled around she didn't know what to do. She couldn't sit at her normal table, nobody would accept her, but there were no open tables available. She looked through the cafeteria and saw Simon sitting at a table alone reading something. She was already cast out from the top, might as well sit with the only person who actually treated her like a human.

Simon was reading some comic book when he saw someone put their stuff down. When he looked up he was surprised to see Izzy but he smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Is anyone sitting here?" She asked and Simon shook his head. She sat down and took a deep breath.

"Long day?" Simon asked and she nodded.

"Just a lot of stares and whispers." Izzy said and Simon nodded. "Do you always eat alone?"

"On the rare occasion Clary joins me, but mostly it's just me." Simon said and Izzy looked away and saw her old 'friends' pointing and laughing.

"Is Clary your girlfriend?" Izzy asked after a moment, and secretly she was hoping that she wasn't, but she didn't know why. Simon simply laughed and shook his had.

"Clary is like my sister. I've known her since first grade." Simon said and Izzy made a mental note. Izzy heard another noise and looked over and saw Aline making fun of her. She rolled her eyes and put her head down. "You okay?" Simon asked.

"Just Aline being a bitch." Izzy said, and Simon looked over at that table. "I can only imagine what's she saying about me now."

"Probably something along the lines of you committing social suicide by sitting with me." Simon said and Izzy's eyes widened. "I know what they say about me. I'm not an idiot."

"So you always knew what they thought of you?" Izzy asks and Simon nods.

"I get that I'm not the most popular guy in this school. Far from it actually, and I know that you all think that I'm like the biggest loser in this school, but at the end of the day I really don't care."

"How do you deal with it?" Izzy asks.

"I just ignore it. I guarantee I won't see 3/4 ths of these people after we graduate. I'll be off at Yale, or Harvard getting my degree in engineering and making a load of money one day. What petty people in high school think of me really doesn't matter." Simon said and in that moment Izzy realized that everything she thought she knew was completely wrong. She realized that the people she should be friends with were the people she looked down on for so long. Simon held her while she cried after she was a total bitch to him, and he's letting her sit with him because he knows she has no one else, and he's the first person who makes Izzy actually laugh, and feel like she's a normal girl. He isn't flirting to get her to sleep with him, and he is actually looking in her eyes while she speaks instead of at her chest. Izzy didn't know how important Simon was going to be to her, but she knew there was something about him that was different, and she liked it. "What about you? What are your plans after high school?"

"I'm not really sure." Izzy said honestly.

"Well, what are you interested in?" Simon asked.

"I like fashion, and making clothes." Izzy says. "Not many people know this but I make a lot of my own stuff."

"Really?" Simon asked with a smile on my face.

"Yea, but when they ask me where I get it from I just say I can't remember." Izzy confessed.

"Why is that?" Simon asks.

"Because than people know me, and they start to wonder who the real Isabelle Lightwood is and I'm just not willing to give them that opportunity." Izzy says and Simon nods. "Like this dress I'm wearing, I made it myself." I said and Simon started inspecting the dress she was wearing.

"It's a great dress. You look beautiful in it." Simon said and Izzy blushed, something Izzy doesn't normally do, but guys never called her beautiful. Hot, sexy, smoking, anything really that they thought she wanted to hear, but never beautiful, but it sounded right coming out of Simon's mouth. When the bell rang Simon got up and grabbed his books along with Izzy's. He smiled and continued walking, Izzy got up and followed. Simon walked Izzy to her next class, he handed her her books, smiled and walked away. That was the last time Izzy saw him that day, but she couldn't get the smile off her face no matter how many times she heard a negative thing about her. She was happy, truly happy for the first time in a long time, and it was all because of Simon.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec and Magnus had barely seen each other lately. Classes were getting harder, and the work was getting more intense, and it kept them rather busy, which they both seemed to appreciate. It had been a dark cloud over both of their heads since Magnus walked out, but Magnus needed to put his happiness and his reasons before Alec, and as painful as that was, it's the way it had to be.

In the meantime Magnus let Ragnor set him up with a friend of his. Magnus was nervous, not because he was going out on a date but because he was scared that he would never be able to get over how he felt for Alec. Magnus has never been so hung up on a guy before and it scared him, but the only way to get over something is to move on and that's what Magnus was doing. When Magnus got to the restaurant he saw a blonde boy that Ragnor had described. He walked over and took a seat.

"Magnus?" The boy said and Magnus nodded.

"Yes. You must be Noah." Magnus said and the boy nodded. Magnus had a type, and Noah certainly wasn't his type, but he knew Ragnor meant well so he would try his hardest to make this date work.

The date lasted for about 2 hours and Noah was a great guy. He was a good conversation holder, and he made some great jokes, and Magnus found himself enjoying his company. But he couldn't get the blue eyed boy out of his mind, and he couldn't stop comparing the two. He wanted to move on but no matter what he did Alec was always in his mind, and that worried Magnus more than he would ever admit.


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors Note:**

 **So, I'm supposed to be studying for a test I have this week, but I've been so into this story that I have been going crazy with writing it! I am currently up to 8 chapters and I love where it's going! I know Magnus and Alec kinda have a boring plot right now, but it will get better, you just have to hang in there with me! Let me know what you think, and I'll try and update again soon! :)**

 **Chapter Five:**

Today was the final game of Jace's season and all the seniors were being recognized. He was nervous, but he wasn't showing it. Something about having his whole family there for the first time was slightly terrifying. It was last period and the soccer team got out early to get ready for the game, but Jace started wondering the halls thinking about anything that would get his mind off his nerves. That's when he spotted her red hair. He smiled to himself as he walked into the art room and sat down next to her. Clary looked over and smiled at Jace and he smiled back.

"What are you doing here?" Clary asked.

"We got out early, and I was just wondering the halls and I saw you." Jace said and Clary nodded.

"You nervous for today?" Clary asked and Jace took a deep breath.

"A little. This is the first time my whole family will be here to watch, and that's kind of terrifying."

"Why is that?" Clary asked.

"I don't want to disappoint them." Jace said and Clary reached her hand out and placed it on top of him.

"Just do your best, and they'll be proud of you no matter what." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"I was wondering, if you aren't busy if you'd like to come." Jace said nervously and Clary smiled at how awkward he was at this, but she found it endearing.

"I'd love too." Clary said and Jace smiled. In that moment Jace's phone started ringing. When he looked at it he realized that it was time to get ready.

"I'll see you later?" He asked and Clary smiled and nodded. Jace got up and headed out of the art room with the biggest smile on his face, and he was ready to kick ass on that field.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

After school was over Izzy practically ran to Simon to ask him if he'd like to come to Jace's soccer game with her. Izzy and Simon had become the weirdest pair of friends, but Izzy was happy to have one genuine friend for the first time in her life, and she loved it. Izzy saw Simon walking out of the building and she made a beeline for him. When she finally caught up she grabbed his arm and when he turned around he smiled.

"What's up Iz?" Simon asked and Izzy smiled.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come watch Jace's soccer game with me. My whole family is coming, but I'd really like your company." Izzy asked and her hands were sweating, she was never nervous around guys before but Simon was different and she didn't know how to react to that.

"Sure. I don't have any plans anyway." Simon said and they made their way over to the field. Izzy's family hadn't arrived yet, but when Simon looked at the bleachers he saw a familiar redhead. He smiled and started making his way up to her and Izzy followed in suit. "What up Fray? Long time no see." Simon said and Clary looked up and smiled. She put her sketchbook down and stood up and gave him a hug. Something inside Izzy twisted but she soon put a smile on her face and looked at Clary. "Clary, this is Izzy, Izzy this is my best friend Clary."

"It's nice to meet you Izzy. Simon talks about you often." Clary said and it made Izzy feel good. Simon nervously stroked the back of his neck and laughed.

"What are you doing here anyway Clary?" Simon asked as they all took a seat.

"Jace asked me to come." Clary said and that spiked Izzy's curiosity.

"Really? How do you know Jace?" Izzy asked Clary smiled to herself, but Izzy noticed it.

"He had detention one day and his punishment was to clean the art room, but I was in there. He came in and we started talking, and it kinda became a thing. We meet in the art room at the end of the day and hang out for 15 or 20 minutes until he has practice. Than once I'm finished I come out here and watch him practice for a little." Clary explained and Izzy looked at her, and than looked at Jace, she totally shipped them. She only hoped that Jace wasn't leading her on. Izzy had only known Clary for about 5 minutes, but she liked Clary.

"I'm going to grab the extra blanket from in my car, do you two need anything?" Simon asked and Clary shook her head but Izzy looked at Simon.

"You wouldn't happen to have an extra jacket or sweatshirt in your car would you?" Izzy asked and Simon laughed.

"I'll check." Simon said and Clary stopped him.

"If you don't, I think I have an extra in mine." Clary said and tossed Simon her keys and he made his way down the bleachers. Clary saw Izzy watching him the whole way down the bleachers and couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. "So, how long have you and Simon been friends?"

"A couple weeks. He kinda helped me through a rough patch." Izzy said and Clary nodded.

"Right, the pregnancy scare rumor. Gotta tell ya, that was a brutal escalation of information." Clary said and Izzy laughed.

"Yea, it was horrible, but Simon really helped me. Even after I was a total bitch to him." Izzy smiled and it made Clary happy.

"Yea, Simon's always been really good at comforting, but he has a lot of practice when it comes to consoling girls." Clary said and she clearly saw the hint of hurt cross Izzy's face and immediately started to explain. "Simon has an older sister, and his dad died when he was young so he was surrounded by girls the majority of his life. When his sister was dumped or upset she always went to Simon, and he had her smiling in a matter of minutes."

"Yea, he is really good at that." Izzy said with a smile. "He actually the only real friend I've ever had, and its nice that he's not a misogynistic pig like most men." Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"Yea, Simon is a sweetheart, and I'm lucky to have him as my best friend." Clary said and Izzy nodded. A moment later Simon was walking back up the steps. He had a blanket in one hand and a hoodie in the other. He draped the blanket over all their legs and handed the hoodie to Izzy. She pulled it over her head and it smelled like Simon.

The Lightwood family had shown up minutes before the game, which Izzy wasn't surprised by. Max was super hyper, but he worshiped the ground Jace walked on, and was super excited to be at the game. Alec had come home for the game and Izzy was happy to see him. He still wasn't thrilled with what happened with Izzy, but he loved her no matter what.

The game started and Izzy couldn't help but notice how attentive Clary was being to Jace. It was cute how her eyes followed him all around the field. Izzy pried her eyes away from Clary and looked in Simon's direction. He was watching the game but Izzy could tell he wasn't too invested in it. Before Izzy had the chance to look away Simon turned towards her and smiled.

Simon's phone buzzed in his pocket and when he took it out he saw that his mom had texted him. Rebecca had come home, and apparently was really upset about something but wouldn't talk about it, and she wanted Simon to come home and see if he could get her to open up. Simon sighed and turned towards Clary and Izzy.

"Apparently Rebecca came home really upset and won't talk to my mom, she wants me to get home and see what's up." Simon said and Clary and Izzy nodded.

"Tell Rebecca I said hi." Clary said and Simon smiled.

"Of course." He said and than he looked at Izzy.

"Do you want your hoodie and blanket back?" Izzy asked and Simon laughed.

"No. Keep them, you look cozy. I'll see you two later." Simon said as he walked down the bleachers. He walked to his car and got in and took a deep breath. His mind was fuzzy when it came to his feelings about Izzy. She was a great person, and really fun to be friends with, but she was so far out of his league that he knew he didn't stand a chance.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Taking a break to go to Jace's soccer game was exactly what Alec needed. He needed to get away from the books, and the people, and the places he had seen Magnus. He needed to clear his mind, and spending the afternoon with his family was exactly what he needed.

When he got back to school his roommate was nowhere to be found, but Alec didn't mind. He never knew where that guy was, and frankly he didn't care either. Alec liked being alone. Well, he liked being alone sometimes. He liked being with Magnus more than he liked being alone, but that wasn't possible. Alec sat on his bed for the rest of the night reading random articles he found online trying to distract his mind from wondering to thoughts of Magnus.

Magnus had been moping around his apartment for the past couple days and no matter what he did, nothing seemed to get Alec off his mind. Magnus wanted so badly to call him and talk to him again. He wanted to hear his voice, and get lost in those blue eyes, but he knew it was impossible. No matter how much Magnus wanted Alec, he wasn't going to change his decision to walk away. Magnus needed Alec to know that he wouldn't be a secret. He wanted to be able to hold Alec's hand in public, or give him a kiss on the cheek, and tell him he loved him and no be ashamed of who was listening, and he wanted Alec to feel the same way, but he knew Alec wasn't ready. It killed Magnus, but it was the way it had to be. Magnus wasn't going to back down because he was in desperate need of Alec, nope, Alec was going to come to him, when he was ready. He only hoped that Alec wouldn't take forever because Magnus didn't know how much longer he could take avoiding Alec. A part of Magnus needed Alec so badly, and not being able to have him was definitely making Magnus miserable.


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note:**

 **So this is the part where we get into Clary and Jace's past, and if you aren't comfortable with topics such as sexual assault, drugs, self harm, or suicide, just know this is your warning. I don't really go into gory details, they are simply part of the plot and are mentioned but still, I thought you all deserved a little warning, and I promise Malec will pick up soon! Let me know what you think! :)**

 **Chapter Six:**

Clary sat in the courtroom waiting for her name to be called up to the stand. She wanted to be anywhere but here, but in order for Jonathan to keep his sorry ass in jail, this was where she was needed.

Clary had tuned all the legal talk out. She really didn't care about anything other than what she was going to say. Jonathan's parole hearing was in front of a whole new jury who didn't know about the case and that was nerve wracking to Clary. They would hear Jonathan's protests to get out before they heard her side, and Jonathan could be very convincing when he wanted to be.

"Jonathan Morgenstern." Clary heard the judge call and he walked up and sat on the stand after he was sworn in.

"Why do you believe you should be up for parole Mr. Morgenstern?" His lawyer asked.

"I have changed. My actions 4 years ago were the actions of a child. I am not a child anymore. I am an adult, and I am no danger to society." Jonathan said and Clary rolled her eyes. His perfectly scripted answer wasn't fooling Clary. He might be getting sympathy from everyone else, but Clary was ready to rip his reasons in half.

Clary tuned out the rest of the questions. She was so furious that she just needed to stay in her own head. Clary noticed Jonathan finally got off the stand and knew her name was going to be called any minute.

"Clarissa Fray." She heard and she took a deep breath and stood up and made her way to the stand. After she was sworn in, she took a seat and prepared to let loose.

"Clarissa, is there any reason why Jonathan shouldn't be eligible for parole?" Her lawyer asked and Clary let out a dry laugh.

"There are several." Clary answered.

"Would you care to elaborate?" The lawyer asked and Clary nodded.

"I don't care how much jail has changed Jonathan, I don't care if society shouldn't be scared of him, or that he regrets what he did." Clary started and tears threatened to spill, but she wasn't giving Jonathan the satisfaction of her tears again. "I would be scared of him. I would live in constant fear that he would come after me. He ruined me, and he scared me for life. He deserves jail, and he deserves to rot in that cell for the rest of his miserable life."

"Objection!" Jonathan's lawyer called. "She's discrediting my client."

"He should be discredited!" Clary shouted, not caring that she was in court. "Your client is a monster, and he shouldn't even be able to have parole considered."

"Clearly she's very hostile your honor, she's unreliable." The lawyer said and Clary lost her shit at that comment.

"Unreliable?" Clary yelled. "Unreliable? I'm sorry, but who did Jonathan rape, me or you sir?" Clary said and there was a gasp from the others in the courtroom. "Jonathan might say he's changed, but that doesn't matter. He raped me. His own sister. I was 15. He was my brother, and he took advantage of me. He is almost a foot taller than me, and he is stronger. I stood no chance, I stood no chance." Clary said in a smaller voice. "I have had an incredibly hard road. What he did to me really messed me up. It took me a year in a special therapy facility before I was allowed to be back in society. He took something from me that I can never get back. He took my virginity, my innocence, he took my ability to consent away, he forced himself on me. He tied me to my bed so that I wouldn't run away. He forced a sedative down my throat so I would stop struggling after he spiked the drink he gave me. He is a monster, and if you let him back out on the street, you aren't just jeopardizing my safety, but the safety of every other girl in society." Clary got up and got off the stand. She wanted nothing more to stab her brother in the eye with a pencil.

She stormed out of the courtroom after getting the keys from her mom and got into the car. She didn't want to be in that room any longer. Hearing Jonathan say that he's changed is was the biggest load of bullshit she had ever heard, and frankly she didn't care. Clary dozed off hoping that the trial would be over soon, and she was woken up when Jocelyn got into the car. Clary rubbed her eyes and looked at her mom.

"Well?" Clary asked and Jocelyn looked at her.

"Jonathan has no chance of parole ever again." Jocelyn said and Clary felt like for the first time in 4 years she could truly breath again. Jocelyn started the car and they made their way home. Clary had already missed three days of school, and she didn't want to go for the rest of the week. Jocelyn knew how hard this was for her and didn't protest her request to stay home.

Clary locked herself in her room as soon as she got home, and put some sad music on and stared at nothing. There was nothing going through Clary's mind. She was completely numb and empty. Reliving the worst moment of her life took its toll on her today. She just wanted to forget but she couldn't. It haunted her every day, and crept into her dreams every night.

When the sun started to set Clary got off her bed and made her way into her bathroom. She sat on the edge of the tub and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't recognize the girl she was looking at. She saw herself as a shell of the girl she was 4 years ago. There was nothing more to her anymore, and she was still having an incredibly hard time accepting that. She got up and opened the cabinet and grabbed the razor. She slowly broke it apart, and stared at the blade. She knew it wasn't healthy, but she didn't care. She slowly set the edge of the blade on her already cut up wrists. She sunk the blade in until she felt the warm liquid slowly make it's way down her arm. Her release was something she needed for the past few days, and she took a deep breath and basked in the heavenly way her clean white towel turned crimson as she let the stress of the last 4 years leave her body.

By the end of the week Jace was really worried about Clary. She hadn't been in school all week, and it was really starting to alarm him. He had really started to care about Clary in the last couple months, and even thought they weren't the type of friends to talk about what was bothering them, didn't mean that he wouldn't listen if she was having a hard time.

Jace was walking out of school when he spotted Simon and Izzy talking to each other. He made his way over to them and they both stopped talking and smiled at him.

"What's up Jace?" Izzy asked.

"Clary hasn't been in school all week and I was wondering if she told you anything about it." Jace directed his question at Simon knowing they were friends.

"She told me she was dealing with something this week and wouldn't be in for a few days. I don't know why she's missed the whole week. Why?" Simon asked and Izzy laughed.

"He's worried about her." She said and Jace sighed. "This is weird. I've never seen Jace care about anyone before."

"I just want to make sure she's okay." Jace said and Simon nodded and pulled something out of his bag.

"This is her homework. I was going to drop it off later but you can take it to her if you're really that worried." Simon said and Jace took the folder. "She lives in the apartments across the street from Taki's. Just go in and up the stairs and that's where she lives. Its number 6."

"Thanks Simon." Jace said and he turned and made a beeline for his car. He drove to where the diner was and got out and looked up at the building. He walked up and went inside and up the stairs just like Simon said and was greeted with a door that had the number 6 on it. He slowly knocked and after a few minutes someone opened it.

"What can I help you with?" The woman said and she was the exact replica of Clary only older.

"My name is Jace, I got to school with Clary. I brought all the homework she missed this week." Jace said and Jocelyn nodded and welcomed him in.

"I thought Simon was going to bring that over." She said and Jace smiled.

"He was going too but he had some unexpected plans get in the way and he knew I was friends with her." Jace said and Jocelyn nodded. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, uh yea. We just had some family business to take care of. She'll be back to school on Monday." Jocelyn said and Jace nodded.

"Do you mind if I give her the homework, I'd really like to see her." Jace asked and he could tell Jocelyn was hesitant but than slowly nodded.

"Her room is down the hall." Jocelyn said and Jace nodded and made his way to her room. He gently knocked on the door and waited until he heard a few footsteps and than was greeted with those green eyes that he had missed so much.

"Jace? What are you going here?" Clary asked clearly surprised to see him standing there.

"I was worried about you. Simon gave me your homework and told me where you lived." Jace said and Clary nodded and moved aside to invite him into her room. "Are you okay?"

"That's a loaded question." She mumbled but it was still audible to Jace. "Just some stuff came up and I had to deal with it." Clary said trying to act like it wasn't a big deal but Jace knew better.

"I can see how conflicted you are Clary. If you need to talk, I'm always up for listening." Jace said and Clary smiled a little.

"I don't want to bore you with the horrors of my past." Clary said and that sparked Jace's interest.

"How about we match horror for horror?" Jace asked and Clary looked at him with confusion.

"What do you mean?" Clary asked. They had both moved to her bed and were sitting down facing each other.

"You tell me something about your horrible past, and I'll share something about mine. That way you don't feel so alone." Jace said and Clary took a moment to process that but than nodded her head. "I'll go first." Jace said and Clary nodded again. "My parents died when I was young, and I was put in the foster system. Before I was placed with the Lightwoods, I was in a bunch of horrible houses." Clary nodded and Jace gestured for her to share.

"I have a brother." Clary simply said.

"That doesn't sound too horrible." Jace said and Clary shook her head.

"He's in jail." Clary simply said. Jace knew there must be more to the story so he decided to share something else about himself.

"I was in one foster home, and their biological daughter had a huge crush on me. I was about 13, and she was very flirtatious. Her parents thought that I was the one coming on to her, but I wasn't interested. She wasn't my type." Jace said and Clary laughed. "One night I woke up and she was just standing in my room watching me. I screamed because she scared the shit out of me, and her father ran into my room. He saw his daughter and assumed that I manipulated her to come into my room. He beat me really bad that night, and I was moved the next day."

"That's terrible." Clary said and Jace nodded.

"It took them a week to find another family, but that family was the Lightwoods, and I've been with them ever since." Jace explained and Clary nodded.

"That's great." Clary said and Jace nodded.

"I'm very fortunate." Jace said and Clary nodded. She took a deep breath and looked anywhere but at Jace.

"I'm assuming you've seen them." Clary finally said and Jace nodded. "I have a total of 45. I've been getting better, but sometimes everything is just too much." Clary said and Jace nodded again.

"How long?" Jace asked.

"4 years." Clary said as she took another deep breath. He could see tears pooling in her eyes and decided he'd go again.

"When I was 14 I started getting into drugs." Jace said and Clary finally looked at him. The tears that were once trying to make an escape had gone away. "I wasn't doing anything crazy at first, mainly just weed, or when someone could steal alcohol from their parents we'd drink."

"Why?" Clary asked.

"We were all foster kids. We had a place behind an abandoned building that we'd all meet up at. I'd known most of those guys my whole time in the system and we knew what we were all going through so we got together every now and than." Jace admitted and Clary nodded. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal until one day the one kids brought cocaine. He said his foster brother sold it and gave him a free sample. We were young, and we didn't know any better so we all tried it."

"What happened?" Clary asked.

"It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life." Jace said. "But I didn't realize how addictive it could be. I noticed that after the first try I wanted to do it again. I found some shady dealer and bought some and immediately snorted it."

"How long were you addicted?" Clary asked.

"8 months. Alec followed me to the building one day to see where I always snuck off too. He saw me in the middle of a drug deal and confronted me about it." Jace said. "He told me if I didn't clean myself up he would tell Maryse and I would be moved again. I didn't want that. I finally found a family that wasn't cruel and I actually got along with."

"What happened?" Clary asked as she sat up. Jace knew she was curious.

"I'll tell you that later." Jace said and Clary shook her head.

"I had to go speak at my brothers parole hearing." Clary admitted.

"Parole?" Jace questions and Clary nodded. "That's a good thing, right?"

"No." Clary said so fast that it stunned Jace a little.

"Why not?"

"He's not a good person." Clary said as she continued to avoid eye contact with Jace. It was quiet for a moment so Clary continued. "He…..raped someone." Clary barely chocked out and somehow Jace knew it was a lot more personal than she was leading on. Tears were streaming down her face now, and Jace knew she was lost in her head somewhere.

"Clary?" Jace said after a couple minutes of silence and she looked at him and her eyes were empty. Jace moved closer to her and hesitantly reached out and grabbed her hands for support for her to continue.

"It was me." Clary said softly. Jace felt like he just had the wind knocked out of him. "I was 15."

"You don't have to continue Clary. I'm not going to force you to talk about it." Jace said and Clary shook her head.

"I need too. I can't keep it to myself anymore." Clary sobbed and Jace got up and sat next to her. He put his arm around her and she leaned into him. Her arm rested against his torso and he could feel the tears falling onto his shirt. "I was 15. My mom had to go out of town for work and Jonathan and I were left home alone. Everything was normal, and the next thing I remember was I felt a little sick. Jonathan offered to take me to my room, and I agreed. When he put my on my bed he started tying my hands to the bed so I wouldn't run." Clary said and Jace couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I started to struggle, he opened my mouth and put a sedative down my throat and I couldn't feel anything for a while. That was until he started. I was in so much pain. After he was done I cried for hours. The next day I tried to kill myself."

"What happened?" Jace asked and he could feel her smile.

"I'll tell you that later." She said and Jace laughed.

"After Alec told me to tell Maryse I kinda freaked. I ran away for the night. I didn't want to go back to the house." Jace said.

"Where did you go?" Clary asked.

"Slept in some park. I was a little bugged out on cocaine, so I don't really remember much of it. The next day I went and told Maryse. I figured getting whatever punishment from her was better than getting removed."

"What did she do?"

"Your turn." Jace answered and Clary laughed.

"I was unsuccessful, obviously. After my failed attempt I started cutting. My mom came home and she found me sleeping on the couch and she saw my arms. She lost it. She wouldn't let me leave the house until I told her what happened."

"How long did that take?" Jace asked.

"Two days." Clary said and Jace continued to draw circles on her back. "She reported Jonathan, and they did a rape kit, and found it to be true. When we went to trial Jonathan admitted to it."

"What kind of sick bastard admits to that?" Jace asked and he felt Clary shrug. "What happened?"

"Your turn." Clary said.

"Maryse was really disappointed in me. I thought she was going to report me and tell my social worker and I'd be removed."

"What did she do?" Clary asked.

"She told me that she wanted to help me get clean." Jace said. "She admitted me into a rehab center. It took a year to get clean from the alcohol, cocaine, and weed, but I did it."

"That's great."

"Yea, I thought that after I got out Maryse would tell me to get out of her house, but she actually adopted me."

"Wow." Clary said and Jace could hear the excitement in her voice.

"Alec and her saved my life, and I couldn't be more grateful for them." Jace said.

"Jonathan told the court that he thought we were soul mates, and that we were supposed to be together. He couldn't stand seeing me with other guys. Which didn't make sense because I've never had a boyfriend." Clary said.

"Really?" Jace asked.

"Yea, maybe we'll talk about that a different day. He convinced himself that the only way to be with me was by force." Clary said and Jace stiffened. He hated what she went through. "He went sent away for like 10 years, and was up for parole. At the hearing though I think they sentenced him for life. He won't get the possibility of parole ever again."

"That's good." Jace said and he felt Clary nod.

"I went to a special therapy facility for a year to try and cope. It helped a lot, but it still gets hard." Clary said and they were silent. They didn't mind the silence; they were quite comfortable, until there was a knock on the door. It opened a second later and Jocelyn stood there.

"Sorry, but dinner is ready Clary." Jocelyn said and Clary nodded. "Would you like to stay for dinner Jace?"

"No thank you. I have to get home. I never told my parents I was coming here." Jace said and he stood up. He turned back towards Clary and smiled. "I enjoyed out little therapy session. We should do it again sometime."

"Sounds like a plan." Clary said and Jace turned around and headed out of the apartment. Clary and Jocelyn stayed in her room until they both heard the door closed.

"What was that all about?" Jocelyn asked.

"We just talked." Clary said.

"About what happened." Jocelyn said. It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yea, we exchanged stories." Clary said and Jocelyn nodded. "It was really helpful."

"I'm glad sweetheart. Dinner is going to get cold." Jocelyn said and Clary nodded and got up. For the first time in years she felt like she finally had someone who understood her. Maybe not in the way that was completely understanding, but in a way where she didn't feel alone, and it made her smile, a real genuine smile, for the first time in years.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Simon and Izzy decided that they were going to hang out since Jace was taking Clary's homework to her. Izzy was excited to be spending time with Simon. She liked getting to know everything about him, and he truly made her happy. Izzy was nervous for today because they were going back to his house and there was a chance that his mom and sister were going to be there and that scared Izzy. They walked in and nobody was home which was a relief to Izzy.

"You want anything to drink?" Simon asked. "We have soda, juice, water, iced tea."

"Iced tea works." Izzy said and Simon nodded and went into the kitchen. Izzy took a seat on the couch and waited for Simon to come back when the front door opened. Izzy's chest felt extremely tight. In walked two women who looked similar and she couldn't breath.

"Oh. Who are you?" The older one said and Izzy opened her mouth to speak but it was completely dry and she couldn't form a complete thought.

"Mom, Rebecca. What are you doing home?" Simon said as he reentered the room and Izzy was relieved.

"I had a half day for work, and Rebecca wanted to come home so we could all have a family night. I didn't realize you were having company." His mom said.

"It would have been nice to be informed of the plans." Simon said as he made his way over to Izzy. He handed her the iced tea and sat down next to her.

"You rarely have plans Simon, I didn't realize you needed to check your schedule before telling you we were going to have a family night." Rebecca said and Simon laughed.

"Well, mom, Rebecca, this is my friend Isabelle. Izzy, this is my mom and sister." Simon said and Izzy waved.

"It's nice to meet you both. I can go if you want. I don't want to ruin your night." Izzy said and Simon's mom and sister smiled.

"Don't be ridiculous. Would you like to join us?" Simon's mom said and Izzy looked at Simon and he just smiled.

"I'd like that." Izzy said.

"Wonderful, we're playing Life tonight." Rebecca cheered and Simon groaned. "Oh Simon, calm down. Maybe you can actually beat Isabelle tonight."

"Oh, I'm very competitive. I hardly ever lose." Izzy said and Simon groaned ever more. "Having three brothers who are all super competitive kinda rubs off after awhile."

"You have three brothers?" Rebecca asked and Izzy nodded. "I can't even handle one, how do you manage three?" She asked as she took a seat next to Izzy.

"Well, the one is couple years older than me so he isn't so hard on me. My younger brother is only 9, so he may be competitive but he's not very good. And my adoptive brother is my age, and we are constantly at each others throats. It's always a competition between us."

"I'm lucky Simon is terrible at board games. I kick his ass every single time." Rebecca said and Izzy couldn't stop laughing. She liked Rebecca, she was really nice and they seemed to get along. "Well, mom and I are going to start dinner. Have fun you two."

Rebecca and Simon's mom got up and went into the kitchen. Simon and Izzy sat there for a couple minutes in silence before Izzy smiled to herself, looked at Simon and started to speak.

"You're sister seems really cool." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Yea, she's pretty great." Simon said and it was quiet again. "Want to watch a movie?" Simon finally said and Izzy nodded. "Do you have a preference?"

"Nope." Izzy said and Simon smiled. He went over, picked up a movie and put it in.

"Prepare for the best film you've ever seen." Simon says and than the theme song to Star Wars started playing. Izzy was never one to watch such a geeky movie, but she had no problem doing it for Simon. They sat on the couch and watched the movie, and surprisingly Izzy enjoyed it, but she enjoyed it so much more because she was watching it with Simon.

Later that night they were all sitting around the table playing the game of Life. Izzy had never had so much fun in her whole life. She understood why Simon was such a great guy. His mom and sister were just like him. They were always laughing and making fun of each other but it was all in good fun. She was glad they had invited her to stay.

"Fork it over Simon." Izzy said and he groaned.

"How come every one of my children had broken a bone and you're the only doctor that can fix them?" Simon said as he paid Izzy.

"Stop having so many kids Simon." Rebecca said and Izzy laughed.

It's not my fault my wife and I are totally in love and want to expand our wonderful family." Simon said and Rebecca and his mom laughed. I couldn't get the image of Simon with a baby out of my head. He would be really good with babies.

"Whatever you say Simon, just give me the money." Izzy said and everyone laughed. By the end of the game Izzy had won and Simon had come in dead last. It was almost 10 and Izzy had to get going. Simon walked her to the door and they lingered for a little while. "I had a really fun time tonight."

"So did I." Simon said. "I'm glad you stayed."

"Me too." Izzy said. It was a split second decision. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his cheek. "Goodnight Simon."

"Goodnight Isabelle." Simon said and Izzy walked to her car. She got in and took a deep breath. Before her Friday nights would be spent getting drunk and making out with a bunch of different dudes before finally settling on one to take for the night. Tonight she watched Star Wars, ate lasagna, and played Life with Simon and his family and it had been the best Friday night she's ever had.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec's Friday night wasn't as thrilling. His roommate asked him to accompany him to a party and be the DD and Alec had nothing better to do. He didn't mind Jem, but they weren't best friends by any means. So there Alec was, standing in the corner of this party watching all the people having fun. He never wanted to be the loner, and that's exactly what he was. He didn't have Magnus, and the friends that he did have weren't really party people. Alec tried to blend in as much as he could, and he didn't mind talking to the drunk girls who came up to talk to him, but when he caught a glimpse of Magnus dancing with another guy his heart was ripped out of his chest. He tried to control his breathing and pry his eyes away from him but he found it incredibly hard.

Eventually Alec couldn't take it anymore and he left the room. He walked outside and the fresh air hit him like a brick wall. He knew Magnus wouldn't wait forever for him, but it didn't mean seeing him dancing on another guy didn't hurt. Alec knew he promised to take care of Jem tonight but he couldn't stay at that party anymore. He texted Jem and told him he felt sick and was heading home. Jem texted back something very incoherent and Alec left. He truly felt sick seeing his Magnus grinding on another guy, but in all reality he wasn't Alec's, and Alec knew that, but that didn't mean Alec had to like him moving on.

Magnus saw Alec rush out of the room and part of Magnus felt proud that he still had an effect on Alec, but the other part wanted to run after him and tell him that he was still his, and all he had to do was come out, but Magnus wasn't going to be that guy. He wasn't going to be the guy who ran after the guy who wasn't ready to be in a openly gay relationship. Deep down he knew Alec was special, which was why this was so incredibly hard, but nonetheless he took another sip of his drink and continued drinking, pretending that the guy he was dancing with had those beautiful sapphire eyes, and jet black hair.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

Mid February wasn't supposed to be a tragic time. It was supposed to be cold, and annoying, but not tragic. Everything Jace knew about life was tragic, and he was hoping that he had experienced enough to never experience it again, but that wasn't the case. Two days ago, Izzy and Max got into a car accident coming home from his after school program, and they were hit by a drunk driver. They did everything they could, but Max didn't make it. It was the worst news Jace had ever gotten. He was only 9, and he didn't deserve this. He deserved to live a long life, and to never have to experience pain because he was so incredibly innocent and full of nothing but pure happiness.

The Lightwood family had locked themselves in their house for the few days after the incident. Izzy was discharged from the hospital and went straight to her room and locked the door, and Maryse and Robert sat in the living room like statues. Alec went back to school to try and cope to the best of his abilities, and Jace, well Jace just sat at the piano and played mindlessly. It was the only thing that really kept him sane. To say school was an after thought would be like saying the sky was blue. The school knew about the accident and gave the Lightwoods as much time as they needed to grieve the loss.

Clary on the other hand didn't know why Jace wasn't in school. Clary expected Jace to show up in the art room after school one Wednesday and he wasn't there. Clary knew that Izzy and Simon always talked for a little after school and she decided to ask Izzy where he had been for the past couple days. Jace and Clary had an interesting relationship, one that she had never had with anyone before. He became her shoulder to cry on when it came to her brother, or just her buddy to sit in silence with when she was painting and didn't want to talk. She treasured their friendship, and clearly something was wrong, and it killed her to know that something wasn't right.

When school finally ended she walked outside to see Simon getting in his car and it confused her. She ran up and banged on his window and he rolled it down.

"Where is the fire Fray?" Simon asked as he laughed.

"Don't you normally talk to Izzy after school for a little bit?" Clary asked and she saw Simon's face fall a little.

"She hasn't been in school the past couple days." He said.

"Her either?" Clary asked.

"What do you mean?" Simon asked.

"Jace hasn't been here either. I hardly think that's a coincidence." Clary said and Simon nodded. "Do you think it would be too intrusive if we went over there to see what was up?"

"I don't know, do you even know where they live?" Simon asked and Clary laughed.

"No, but it's the Lightwoods, they are really wealthy, so I assume they would live in the wealthier part of town. We can drive around and if we don't find it we'll just wait until they come back."

"Alright Nancy Drew, where should we meet?" Simon asked and Clary laughed.

"Meet me at my house. I need to grab something before we head out." Clary said and Simon nodded. They were back at her apartment rather soon and Clary ran straight to her room and grabbed her sketchbook and headed out to meet Simon. They started making their journey into the rich part of town. And when they say rich, man do they really mean it. Clary had never seen so many big houses in her life. They were driving by when they got to the end of the road and were greeted with the most spectacular house they had ever seen. Clary looked up and her eyes got wide.

"Wow." Was all she said.

"This place is insane. Who do you think lives here?" Simon asked and Clary started looking around when she spotted it.

"I think we found the house." Clary said and Simon looked at her.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"That rock over there says Lightwood." Clary said and Simon laughed.

"You're taking information from a rock?" Simon asked and Clary glared at him.

"There is only one way to see if we're right." Clary said as she got out of the car. She made her way up the driveway when she spotted Jace's car. "Ha! I was right. That's Jace's car." She said and Simon followed behind her. When they got to the door Clary got nervous. She had just stalked Jace, and she didn't realize how crazy the idea was until now. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. After a few moments she thought it was a lost cause when the door opened and there stood a woman who looked exactly like Izzy.

"What do you want?" She said in a harsh tone, but Clary could tell she was upset so she dismissed the attitude.

"I'm Clary, and this is Simon, we go to school with Jace and Izzy. They haven't been in school the past couple days and we just wanted to make sure they were okay." Clary said with a smiled and Mrs. Lightwood sniffled.

"They won't be in school for a little while." The woman said and Clary looked confused.

"Is everything okay?" Clary asked and that just seemed to set the woman off more.

"No. Everything is not okay." She yelled and Simon and I took a step back. A moment later there was a man standing behind her and leading the woman inside. He turned back to us and gave us a sad smiled.

"We're dealing with a family loss at the moment." Mr. Lightwood explained.

"We're so sorry. We had no idea." Simon said and he nodded. After a moment of silence he spoke up again.

"You know, maybe if Jace and Isabelle saw you two, it would really help them cope." He said and motioned for us to enter. Clary looked around at the house and was completely amazed. Than she heard the music and was even more amazed and mesmerized. "Jace is in the music room. Just follow the sound, and Isabelle is in her room. Good luck getting in there. She's been locked in for a few days now." Mr. Lightwood said and walked away. Simon and Clary looked at each other and smiled.

"Good luck." Clary told Simon and he laughed. He disappeared up the stairs and Clary followed the music. Jace wasn't lying when he told her he was good. He was playing beautifully, and it was completely captivating. When she got to the doorway she stopped and watched him play. His fingers glided effortlessly over the keys and he was playing with more passion than Clary had ever seen. He had stopped and lowered his head to the keys and Clary saw his body moving in the motion that told her he was crying. Clary walked over and sat on the bench and started rubbing circles on his back. He clearly wasn't expecting the physical contact because his head shot up.

"Clary? What are you doing here?" He asked and Clary smiled.

"You haven't been in school. I was worried." Clary said and Jace whipped the tears off his cheeks. "What happened?"

"Max." Jace said and Clary's heart broke. She had met Max once or twice. He was a lively little boy, and so incredibly happy. "He died a couple days ago."

"Jace." Clary said and she grabbed his hand. Their fingers interlocked and Jace sniffled. "How?"

"Drunk driver. Him and Izzy were in the car."

"How is Izzy?" Clary asked.

"She's completely broken. She blames herself for his death. She wishes she was dead, not him." Jace said and Clary didn't know what else to do so she climbed up on Jace's lap and pulled him into a hug. Jace's arms immediately went around her waist and hugged her back. They sat there for who knows how long just consoling one another. When they finally broke apart their eyes locked and Jace's eyes flickered down to Clary's lips. Clary knew that Jace was upset, but there was a part of her that really didn't care because she wanted him to kiss her. A moment later Jace leaned in and pressed his lips to her and she returned the kiss immediately. The kiss was something Clary and Jace both have never experienced. It was electrifying, and filled with passion, and the unspoken connection that they both knew they had. When they broke apart their eyes locked again and Jace smiled a real smiled for the first time in days.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"What took you so long?" Clary asked.

"I didn't want to ruin our friendship. You were the first real friend that I've ever had outside of the Lightwoods, and I felt like if I kissed you, and you didn't feel the same way it would ruin everything." Jace admitted and Clary pressed her lips to his again and she felt him smile in the middle of it.

"How are you holding up?" Clary asked and Jace sighed. "When was the last time you slept?"

"I haven't left this room." He admitted and Clary got off him and pulled him to his feet. She dragged him to the couch that was in the room and laid him down. She put his head on her lap and started playing with his hair. He smiled and closed his eyes. "It's been really tense around here. Maryse and Robert are in shock still and Izzy hasn't left her room."

"That's what Mr. Lightwood told Simon." Clary said and Jace opened his eyes.

"Simon's here?" Jace asked and Clary nodded. "Good. Maybe he can get through to her." Jace said and he sat up.

"What are you doing?" Clary asked.

"If you want me to sleep, you're going to lay with me." Jace said and Clary smiled and nodded. Jace grabbed a pillow and laid down and Clary laid on top of him. Jace took a deep calming breath and closed his eyes. For the first time in days he felt like he could actually breath and forget for a moment that Max was gone. He fell asleep inhaling the strawberry scent of Clary and let his mind finally rest.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Simon walked up the stairs and saw a door that had an "I" on it, and knew it was Izzy's. He tried to twist the knob but it was locked so he knocked.

"Go away!" He heard Izzy yell. He knocked again. "I don't want to eat food mom! Leave me alone!" He took a deep breath and knocked again. He didn't hear another this time but the door flew open. "Mom…."She started yelling but stopped. "Simon, what are you doing here?"

"You haven't been in school, I was worried about you." He said and she sighed. "Are you okay? Your parents said you haven't left your room." He said and she broke down. Simon immediately pulled her into a hug and closed the door behind him. Izzy cried into his chest and Simon let her go. He could tell this was the most movement she had done in a couple days and he picked her up and put her on her bed. He got in next to her and she curled up next to him and continued to cry.

Izzy and Simon didn't know how long they were sitting there, but Izzy was grateful to have him next to her. She didn't want to be around anyone, but when she saw Simon she just wanted him next to her. When Izzy finally stopped crying she sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked at Simon.

"Sorry I look like a mess." Izzy said and Simon smiled at her and whipped her tears away.

"You look beautiful." He said and Izzy smiled. "This is a good look on you." He said and Izzy looked down. She was wearing sweats and a large sweatshirt.

"I haven't changed in days." She admitted and Simon laughed.

"Sometimes you just need a couple days like that." Simon said and Izzy nodded.

"I was in a car accident a couple days ago." Izzy said and Simon got worried. He put his hands on each side of her face and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Simon asked and Izzy started crying again.

"I'm fine but Max." She said and she was crying even harder. He pulled her into him and let her cry. Simon thought back to what Mr. Lightwood said, they were dealing with a family loss, and it clicked in Simon's mind. Max. Max was the loss. He pulled Izzy even closer and went to lay down. He pulled the blanket over them and started rubbing soothing circles on her side.

Izzy didn't realize she had fallen asleep. She hadn't been sleeping well, and when she does fall asleep its because she cried herself asleep and that normally didn't last very long. She woke up and realized that she was incredibly warm and when she opened her eyes she saw Simon laying down with her, also asleep. She propped herself up which caused Simon to wake up as well. He rubbed his eyes and put his glasses back on and smiled at her.

"How are you feeling?" Simon asked.

"Better. I haven't slept that well in a long time. How long were we asleep for?" Izzy asked.

"Three hours I think. It's almost 6." Simon said and Izzy nodded. "Do you want to try and eat? I think it would be good for you." Simon said and Izzy sighed. She knew she needed to eat, but she didn't want too.

"I guess I could try." Izzy said and Simon smiled. Simon got up and extended his hand to Izzy and she took it. They walked downstairs together and into the kitchen where the rest of her family, plus Clary was. When they walked in everyone was shocked. Maryse walked over to them and took a deep breath before hugging Izzy. Izzy hugged her back knowing that she has been extremely selfish these past couple days. They were all grieving and her completely ignoring her family wasn't the smartest move. "I'm sorry mom." Izzy whispered.

"This wasn't your fault Isabelle. That drunk driver hit you." Maryse said and Izzy started crying.

"I should have been able to protect him." Izzy said and Maryse just hugged her tighter.

"We almost lost you too Isabelle. When we got to the hospital and they said they didn't have any news on you I thought I was going to die. And when the doctor told us that you were extremely lucky to be able to walk out of that hospital the next day I was over the moon happy."

"But Max." Izzy started but Maryse cut her off.

"They did everything they could to save him Isabelle. This is that drivers fault. Not yours." Maryse said and Izzy nodded. "I made chicken noodle soup, would you like some?"

"Yea." Izzy said and they made their way over to Jace and Clary. Izzy noticed that they were holding hands and made a mental note to ask Jace about that later but right now she just needed to eat.

Clary and Simon stayed for a couple more hours before they needed to get going. Clary and Jace walked fully out to Simon's car where as Izzy and Simon stopped on the porch. Izzy glanced down at Clary and Jace and saw him give her a kiss goodbye and couldn't help but feel so happy for those two. She looked back at Simon and smiled.

"Thank you Simon. I don't know how long it would have taken me to get out of bed if you didn't show up." Izzy said and Simon pulled her into a hug and kissed her temple.

"Of course Izzy." He said and them pulled apart. "Just remember, I'm here if you need to talk." He said and she nodded. "I'll see you whenever you come back to school."

"Actually, in two days, we're having a little funeral for Max. It was just going to be family, but I would really like if you came." Izzy said and Simon smiled and nodded.

"Of course I'll be there." Simon said and he headed to his car. A moment later Jace made his way back over to Izzy and joined her on the porch. They watched Simon drive away and Jace put his arm around Izzy.

"I invited him to the funeral for Max." Izzy finally said and Jace took a deep breath.

"I invited Clary too." Jace said and Izzy looked up and smiled at him.

"So, you finally pluck up the courage to ask her out?" Izzy said and Jace scoffed.

"Actually I just kissed her and she was hooked." Jace said and Izzy elbowed him.

"Don't be an asshole Jace." Izzy said. Jace laughed and pulled her into his side.

"I really missed you Iz." He said and Izzy gave him a hug as her reply. It was going to be hard for the Lightwood's to fully grieve for the loss of Max, but Izzy knew that as long as she didn't completely shut them out again she could get through it.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec had gone back to school after he spent all of one day at home. He couldn't stand being there without Max, it hurt too much. He got back to his dorm but he didn't want to be there either. He decided that he needed to forget. He grabbed his stuff and went back to that bar and decided that he was going to drown his sorrows in alcohol. He ordered three shots to begin with and that after a couple hours he forgot everything that had happened and he thought he would feel better, but nope, the numbness just added to how awful he truly felt.

Magnus was at home with Chairmen Meow and working on a project that was due at the end of the week. He had a glass of wine to his right, he had music playing softly in the background, it was the perfect evening in Magnus's opinion. He was humming along to the song that was on when his phone started ringing. He walked over and saw that Alec was calling. A part of him perked up immediately, but another part told him not to get his hopes up. He wanted to speak to Alec so badly, and I guess this was his best shot.

"Hello?" Magnus answered.

"I'm an asshole." Alec said and Magnus could clearly tell that he was drunk. "I'm the worlds biggest asshole, and I'm related to Jace. That's saying something." Alec continued and Magnus rolled his eyes.

"I thought you called because you had some news to tell me Alec." Magnus said. He didn't want to be a drunken thought when it came to Alec, although he was flattered that his obvious clouded mind thought to call him.

"You thought I finally came out to my family?" Alec asked and Magnus heard him laugh. "Please, there are more important things than telling my parents I'm gay." Alec laughed and that made Magnus angry.

"What could be more important than telling your parents who you are? What could possible be more important than finally admitting to them that you are gay and have feelings for a man, who by the way, has hated having to keep his distance from you." Magnus yelled. He was furious. These last couple months have been brutal for Magnus and it sounded like Alec didn't care. He could hear Alec open his mouth to say something but heard another voice in the background.

"Get off that ledge kid!" Magnus heard and his heart stopped.

"If I want to stand up here and risk my life, that's my decision asshole!" He heard Alec shout back.

"Alec, where are you?" Magnus asked worriedly.

"I'm at this really nice cliff. Or am I on a bridge?" Alec questioned to himself. "I'm definitely on a bridge."

"What bridge?" Magnus asked.

"Uh, I'm not sure. It's a tiny bridge but there are lots of rocks at the bottom." Alec playfully added which worried Magnus the most.

"Can you see a name?" Magnus asked as he gathered his belongings.

"Uh, I think that says St. Peters Memorial Bridge." Alec said and Magnus was running to his car. "Yup that's definitely what it says, but I'm also very drunk." Magnus knew where that bridge was. It wasn't far. He got into his car and started towards that bridge. He wasn't sure when him and Alec hung up but when he got to the bridge he saw Alec walking along the railing of the bridge and it scared the shit out of Magnus. He knew not to scare him so he approached carefully. "Alec." Magnus said and Alec looked up.

"Maggie." Alec said and Magnus normally hated when people called him that, but he couldn't find it in him to be annoyed with Alec right now. "What are you doing here?"

"You called me." Magnus said and Alec laughed as he almost slipped off the railing.

"Oh right. I did. I wanted to tell you something." Alec said and Magnus moved closer. "But you hung up on me."

"I'm sorry Alexander. I was in a little bit of a rush." Magnus said slowly moving closer to him.

"Why were you in a rush?" Alec asked as he hiccupped.

"Well, this guy called me tonight sounding very drunk and a little unstable and I thought maybe he needed to talk to someone." Magnus aid and Alec looked at him.

"Are you talking about me?" Alec questioned and Magnus took a deep breath.

"Yes Alexander." Magnus replied. "Why don't you come down from there and we can talk?"

"I don't really wanna talk. I want to forget." Alec said.

"Forget what?" Magnus asked. Curious as to what happened that made Alec act this way.

"Forget about everything. How I fucked up our relationship. How I'm never going to be good enough for my parents. How I'm thinking about jumping off this bridge and releasing my tortured soul from this world." Alec said and Magnus's eyes started to water.

"I have a lot of coffee back at my place, and those little doughnuts you like so much. We can listen to the sound of fire crackle while we warm up." Magnus offered and Alec stopped pacing the railing. "It's freezing out here Alexander, and I'm afraid all the alcohol in your system won't shield you from the cold for very much longer." Magnus could see Alec thinking his offer over. After what felt like forever to Magnus Alec jumped down from the railing and Magnus grabbed his hand and lead him to his car. The car ride was silent all the way back to his place. When they got up to Magnus's place Alec sat on the couch and just stared at the fireplace. When Magnus returned with two mugs of coffee and those doughnuts Alec didn't even notice. Magnus sat down next to him and waited until Alec spoke.

"I'm sorry I haven't told my parents yet." Alec finally said and he sounded like he was getting sober.

"What happened Alec? What made you go and get completely shitfaced on a Wednesday?" Magnus asked and Alec sighed and put his head in his hands.

"My little brother died a couple days ago." Alec said and Magnus felt like his heart shattered.

"Was he sick?" Magnus asked. There was no reason for a 9 year old to die so young.

"No. Drunk driver. My sister was driving him home from school." Alec explained and Magnus put his hand on his back to try and calm him down.

"Is your sister alright?" Magnus asked.

"Yea, she is emotionally and mentally torturing herself at the moment." Alec said.

"I am so sorry Alexander." Magnus said and he intertwined their hands. "I am so incredibly sorry." Magnus could tell Alec was crying now and he pulled him into a hug. Neither of them knew how long they sat there, but Magnus wasn't letting go and neither was Alec. Alec needed this, he needed Magnus and Magnus knew that.

When Alec finally fell asleep Magnus got up and continued to work on his homework. He kept glancing over at Alec who was sleeping on the couch. It had been hours since he fell asleep and Magnus couldn't possibly sleep in case he woke up so he actually finished his project and started cleaning up the space when he heard Alec stir. He walked over to the couch and Alec rubbed his eyes and took in his surroundings and than looked at Magnus.

"What happened?" Alec asked.

"You got extremely drunk and called me." Magnus said and Alec nodded. "I found you walking along a railing to a bridge."

"Oh." Alec said. "I vaguely remember walking there."

"You told me about your brother." Magnus said and Alec sighed. "I'm so sorry Alec."

"I can't even remember the last conversation we had." Alec said. "My little brother is dead, and I can't remember our last conversation, or the last time we hung out."

"That's normal after a loss. It'll come back to you." Magnus tried to reassure him.

"How do you know?" Alec nearly shouted at Magnus, but Magnus knew it had nothing to do with him.

"It took be almost 3 years to remember the last conversation I had with my mother." Magnus admitted and Alec looked at him. "I had given up the hope that I would ever remember, until one day I was out to dinner with a friend and I saw something that reminded me of the last time we spoke and it came flooding back."

"I didn't know." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"It might take time Alexander. But I promise, somehow, you'll remember." Magnus said and Alec nodded. It was silent for a few minutes before Alec spoke again.

"In a couple days we're having a funeral for him." Alec said and he took a deep breath. "Will you come?" Magnus was shocked at his question.

"Uh, are you sure that's a good idea?" Magnus asked and Alec gave him a small smile.

"I'm going to need you there Magnus." Alec said truthfully and Magnus smiled at him.

"Of course I'll be there." Magnus said and he got up to grab Alec some blankets and pillow.

"Oh Magnus." He heard Alec say from behind him and he turned around. "I'm sorry for calling you Maggie." He said and Magnus laughed.

"All is forgiven Alexander." Magnus said and he went to his room to get him some things. These last like 7 months have been hard for Magnus, but he felt like this was a new beginning for them, and as much as this new beginning kinda sucked he was glad that they had this opportunity.


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note:**

 **When it comes to the song that Jace is playing on the piano, I got the inspiration from the song "It's Hard To Say Goodbye" by Michael Ortega. I listened to it on repeat and it might be one of my favorite piano pieces out there and if you want to listen to it to see just how Jace feels, give it a go!**

 **Chapter Eight:**

Clary looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. She was wearing a black dress, black stockings, black heels and a black headband that kept her little baby hairs out of her face. She grabbed her black coat and made her way out to her car. She was meeting Jace at the Lightwood's and than they were all heading to the cemetery to bury Max. They didn't want to have a viewing, and a service, and all of that. They simply wanted to lay to rest their son, and try and grieve in the privacy of their own home. Clary couldn't blame them for that. She knew today was going to be hard, and she vowed that she would be there for Jace the entire day.

Jace stair at himself in the mirror and couldn't believe that he was going to be attending his little brothers funeral. He never thought this day would ever come. He thought that Max would out live them all, and here he was, standing in all black and about to attend his funeral. Jace didn't want this to be real. He didn't want Max to be gone, and he didn't want to say goodbye for a final time but he had too. The doorbell rang and Jace made his way downstairs and when he opened the door there stood Clary, looking more beautiful than he'd ever seen her.

"Thank you for coming." Jace said and Clary smiled and gave him a quick kiss and stepped into the house.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." She said and Jace took a deep breath. "I'll be right there the whole time." She reassured him and he nodded.

"We aren't leaving for a little while, want to accompany me to the music room?" Jace asked and Clary nodded. Jace grabbed her hand and they walked in silence to the music room. They sat down at the piano bench and after a few moment of silence Jace started playing.

Clary was always captivated when listening to him play. He was incredibly talented and whatever he played always reflected his mood. Today it was a sad song. Clary didn't know it, it was obviously some song written by a composure that Clary had never heard of but it was beautiful all the same. They sat there in silence as Jace played the piano and Clary rested her hand on his thigh to show him that she was there for him. The past couple days have been extremely hard for Clary, after finding out about Max all she wanted to do was cry, but she refused to cry in front of Jace. She knew he was hurting, and she wanted to be strong for him because he needed her to be.

When Jace was finished playing they sat there in silence. Clary assumed Jace was taking it all in. He has been having such a hard time and Clary couldn't even imagine what it must feel like to lose a little brother. Finally Jace looked up to her and smiled before giving her a sweet kiss. When he pulled away Clary smiled and so did Jace but she could see the sadness behind it. Jace rested his forehead against Clary's and Clary twirled her fingers in his hair that rested on his neck. Jace took a deep breath and opened his eyes and they locked with Clary's.

"I love you." He said and Clary's eyes widened. "I know we have only been officially together for a few days, but I've felt like I've belonged to you since a week after knowing you." He continued as he took her free hand in his. "I feel like we have this connection that can't be broken no matter what happens. I feel like when we're together we're unstoppable, and when we're apart a piece of me is missing." Jace said and Clary was stunned at his words. "I've never felt so strongly for someone before, but with you it feels so natural. Like our souls were always supposed to find each other and now that we have, if something were to happen I'd be losing more than just you but a piece of me as well." Jace smiled at Clary. He knew he was probably freaking her out but he just didn't care. He needed those who he loved to know because life was short and tomorrow wasn't promised. "It's okay if you don't feel it yet, or you don't feel comfortable saying it yet I just need you to know how I felt an-" Jace was cut off by Clary's lips. His hand went behind her head and he immediately started kissing her back. They kissed for a few minutes before Clary pulled away and smiled at him.

"I love you too." She said and Jace smiled, a real genuine smile. "I've felt that same connection you were talking about. I have been so closed off since the incident with my brother because I felt like I would never be good enough for anyone." Clary said and Jace was about to protest but Clary put her finger over his lips to shush him. "It ruined me in so many ways that I thought I was going to be alone forever, and I had accepted that fact, because well, no guy wants a rape victim, especially when her own brother was the offender." She took a deep breath and looked into Jace's eyes. "But you came along and accepted that part of me like I was telling you my favorite flavor of ice cream." She said and she laughed. "Clearly it was a little more serious but you listened to my story, and you were there for me. You made me feel like I was a normal teenager who had a chance to find someone to love, and the moment that you sat on my bed and pulled me into your side was the moment I knew that I loved you." When she was finished Jace slammed his lips to hers again and Clary gladly kissed him back. They knew that it was early in their relationship, and some people would think they were absolutely insane for telling each other that they loved one another but for Clary and Jace it was easy, and it was natural, and it was right.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy sat in the living room waiting for Simon to arrive. Ever since he came and helped her she had been feeling incredibly different towards Simon. He was the first guy to ever take a genuine interest in her, and he made her laugh, and feel safe. He comforted her when she needed it most and when they were apart all she wanted was for him to be next to her. She had been planning on telling him how she felt tonight before he went home, but she was nervous that he wouldn't feel the same way, which was new for Izzy. Every guy wanted her before, and she never wanted any of them. So for her to want someone, and him potentially not want her back was one of the most terrifying things she's ever experienced.

Simon pulled up to the Lightwood house and took a deep breath. Seeing Izzy completely broken really hurt Simon. He wanted to just lay in her bed, with her cuddled next to him until she was herself again, but Simon knew that wasn't possible. Izzy was way out of his league and would never consider him a possible boyfriend. Simon walked up to the front door and knocked and a moment later Izzy opened the door and smiled at him. Simon walked in and pulled her into a hug. Izzy melted into his arms and Simon absolutely loved that. When they pulled apart Izzy smiled once again.

"Thanks for coming Simon." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Of course Iz." Simon said and she welcomed him in. They walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch and sat in a comfortable silence until Izzy couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to wait until after Max's funeral to talk to Simon but all she wanted to do was cuddle into his side and feel him press his lips to her temple.

"Simon." Izzy started and Simon looked over at her. "I like you." She said and Simon looked confused.

"Come again?" He asked.

"I like you." Izzy said again and Simon smiled his polite friendly smile.

"I like you too Iz." He said and Izzy knew he was a little lost.

"No, I mean I really like you. Like more than a friend." She clarified and Simon's eyes widened.

"I beg your pardon?" He asked and Izzy sighed.

"Forget it. It doesn't matter. You clearly don't feel the same." She said and she got off the couch but Simon shot up and grabbed her hand.

"No, that's not what I meant. I didn't mean it in a bad way." Simon said and Izzy turned around. "I'm sorry it came out that way."

"Than how did you mean it?" Izzy asked.

"I meant it in the completely and totally shocked way." Simon explained and Izzy looked confused.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because Isabelle Lightwood just admitted that she liked me, as more than just a friend." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which made Izzy laugh a little.

"Why wouldn't I like you?" Izzy asked.

"Because I'm a total nerd and we are from two totally different worlds. You're Isabelle Lightwood and you could easily have any guy you wanted." Simon said and they took a seat back on the couch and Izzy grabbed his hands.

"I don't know if you remember but I'm kinda at the bottom with you at the moment." She said and Simon laughed.

"But you're still incredibly gorgeous. You are insanely smart, and talented, and probably every thing else in the world. You could be dating any guy you really wanted too."

"And that guy is you." Izzy said and Simon couldn't believe it. "I admit, having my business spread around the school like wildfire wasn't the greatest thing I've ever experienced but without it I would have never met you, and you're the first person who has ever seen me as Isabelle Lightwood, not just as another pretty face and hot body." Izzy confessed and Simon cupped her face and ran his finger along her cheek.

"You are still a pretty face, and you most definitely have a hot body." Simon confessed and Izzy laughed. "But you're also incredibly kind, and intelligent, and selfless when you want to be. I've been convincing myself since the day we became friends that you would only ever see me as the guy who helped you out."

"I do see you as that guy, but that's one of the reasons I like you." Izzy said as she scooted closer to Simon. "I was a total bitch to you, and you still came over to me and comforted me when I didn't deserve it." Izzy said and Simon smiled. "You let me eat lunch with you, you gave me a sweatshirt, you invited me over to your house and let me kick your ass in Life."

"To be fair, I didn't let you. I just really suck at board games." Simon interrupted and Izzy laughed.

"You were worried about me and drove around town until you found my house and than spent hours comforting me." Izzy said and Simon could see how emotional she was getting. "You make me smile, and laugh, and you make me feel like I am the most beautiful girl in the world even when I'm wearing sweatpants, a hoodie and I hadn't showered for three days." Simon laughed at that last part. "I have been so ungrateful for the past couple years, and you have truly grounded me in ways that I never thought possible. I have never been the type of girl to be in a relationship. I had careless sex with random guys because I never wanted to give my heart to someone who could break me, but with you, I want to give you my heart because I know you'll protect it."

"Always Isabelle." Simon said and Izzy smiled. Simon leaned forward and when his lips met Izzy's she had felt something she never felt before. She felt cared for. She felt sparks, and she felt butterflies and she just knew that giving Simon her heart was one of the easiest things she's ever done. When they broke apart, they smiled at each other and Izzy actually giggled, for the first time in her life. "Would you like to be my girlfriend Isabelle Lightwood?" Simon asked and Izzy's smiled widened.

"I would absolutely love that." Izzy replied and connected her lips back with Simon's. She couldn't be more grateful for everything Simon has done for her over the past couple months, and she knew that no matter what happened in the future, Simon would always bet there for her when she needed him.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec had told his parents that he was meeting them at the cemetery. He still refused to step foot in that house but knew that he couldn't put it off forever. When he finally pulled up to the cemetery he took a deep breath and than felt Magnus touch his arm. He looked over and Magnus gave him a reassuring smile.

"You can do this Alexander." Magnus said and Alec took a deep breath. They both got out of the car. Magnus walks over and grabs Alec's hand. They can see his family standing around a casket and they begin walking towards them. Alec see's Jace standing there while clutching Clary's hand. Jace told Alec that him and Clary had started dating and Alec was happy for his brother. When he looked at Izzy he saw a nerdy looking boy rubbing a line up and down her spine while she rested her head on his arm. He kissed her temple and Alec was surprised because Izzy didn't say anything about having a boyfriend, but he hasn't really talked to anyone but Magnus for the past couple days. When they reached his family his parents didn't look at him. They were both too focused on the casket and burying their youngest son, and Alec couldn't blame them one bit.

"Today we bury Maxwell Lightwood, who was taken from this world far too soon." The priest said, or at least what Alec guessed was the priest. "I'm not going to prolong this at the request of the family, but if anyone wants to say a few words, now is your time."

"I'm so sorry." Izzy choked out and she started sobbing. The boy pulled her into his side and she continued to cry. Alec's mom started to cry soon after Izzy and when he looked at Jace he could see tears in his eyes. Alec looked at Magnus and he simply squeezed his hand tighter. Nobody said a word after Izzy, and the priest nodded and the casket started to lower.

They all stood there in silence as they watch Max lowered into the ground and Alec just couldn't believe that his 9 year old brother wouldn't be running around the house anymore talking about what he learned in school that he found really fascinating. When the casket was all the way down they all made their way back to their cars. Nobody spoke, but they were all meeting back at the Lightwood house, and Alec knew his parents were going to ask about Magnus.

The whole car ride was silent. Magnus didn't want to upset Alec anymore, but he couldn't help but want to pull him into a hug and never let him go. He could see how truly upset he was at the funeral. Alec had been moping around his apartment for days, not that Magnus blamed him, but it didn't make Magnus feel any better because there was no way he could help him.

They pulled up the a house and Magnus was in awe. The house was bigger than any house he'd ever seen before. When they got out he just stood there staring. Magnus was broken out of his mind when he heard Alec laugh for the first time in days.

"Are you okay?" Alec asked and Magnus laughed at the irony of the question.

"I feel like I'm the one who should be asking you that." Magnus said and Alec grabbed his hand. "This is just the most magnificent house I've ever seen."

"It's something alright." Alec said as he looked back at the house. "Come on, let's go introduce you to my family." Alec said and part of Magnus was happy because Alec was finally admitting to his family that he was gay, but Magnus also felt sorry because his family has just gone through a traumatic event.

When they walked in the house and made their way to the living room Alec saw his family. Jace was sitting with his girlfriend on his lap and she was explaining something which made Jace smile and Alec was glad to see him smiling for once. He looked over at Izzy and she was curled against the boys side looking upset but he was just glad she was out of her room. Finally his eyes landed on his parents and they were staring at him, or more likely, staring at Magnus and Alec's intertwined hands. They made their way over to them and Alec took a deep breath.

"Mom, dad, you remember Magnus right?" Alec said.

"Fashion major correct?" Alec's father said and Magnus nodded. Robert simply nodded but didn't say another word.

"Well, I've been prolonging it long enough." Alec said and he took a deep breath. "Magnus and I are dating." He flat out said and his parents eyes widened and the conversation that was dull in the background stopped. Alec could only assume all eyes were on him.

"How long has this been going on?" Maryse asked.

"Well, we were kinda seeing each other for a few months in the beginning of school, but than he broke it off because I wasn't ready to come out to you guys yet, but with everything that happened with…Max, I figured that life was way to short to be unhappy, and that I needed to come to terms with my feelings, and man up and tell you." Alec explained. "Plus I was very drunk and Magnus talked me of a ledge. Literally."

"Alexander." Maryse started but Alec cut her off before she could say anything.

"If you're going to lecture me and disown me mother I don't want to hear it. If you never want to see me after this, I'll leave and never come back, but I'm tired of hiding who I am because I'm constantly seeking your approval. I want to be happy, and Magnus makes me happy." Alec said and the last thing he expected was to see his mother smile.

"Alexander, if I've learned anything this past week, it's that life isn't guaranteed. I just lost my son, and I had no control over that. I'm not going to lose another one just because of who he chooses to love." Maryse said and Alec felt like a weight had just been lifted off his shoulders.

"I can't tell you how much that means to me." Alec said and Maryse got up and hugged him. Alec felt like he was on cloud 9. He had expected his parents to completely flip shit, and when they didn't, Alec finally felt at peace. He knew that losing Max was the worst thing that could ever happen to this family, but now that they had no secrets, and were finally completely and 100% open with each other maybe this family could grieve the life Max should have lived, and celebrate the memories that they all shared.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

Clary sat on Jace's lap while the whole family sat around the living room talking about their favorite memories of Max. Seeing the family laughing and smiling was something that made Clary extremely happy because seeing how broken they had been for the past couple days truly broke her heart.

"Although I only knew Max for a couple years there is one memory that I will never be able to forget about that kid." Jace said and Clary started rubbing his back to show that she was there for him. "A couple months after I came here I was siting in the music room just staring at the piano. I didn't want to play because everything was just so new, and fresh but at the same time I wanted to play so badly, but I couldn't." Jace explained and Clary started playing with his fingers. "At some point Max came in and sat down next to me and asked what I was doing. I told him that I wanted to play the piano but couldn't. He asked me if I even knew how and I said I did, and he wanted me to teach him twinkle twinkle little star." Jace laughed at the memory. "That was the first time I played the piano after my parents died." Clary smiled and gave Jace a kiss on the cheek and he smiled at her.

"There is one memory that I don't think I could even forget if I tried." Izzy started. "He was about 5. I don't know how he ended up in my room, but he did and when I found him he was wearing one of my bras on his head and had a pair of my heels on." Izzy said and the whole family couldn't stop laughing. "He was running around my room with the biggest smile on his face." Izzy said while laughing. "When I asked him what he was doing he said that he wanted to be me for the day." She finished and Simon pulled her into his side but she had a smile on her face and Clary was glad for that.

"It was the week before I left for school in the summer." Alec started after the laughter died down. "He asked me to hang out before I left because he was going to miss me." Magnus out his arm around Alec and Alec gave him a small smile. "I took him to the park and we tossed a football around. He asked me if we could get ice cream after we were done, and I said sure. It was a hot day and we had been outside for a while." Alec continued and Clary could tell that he was remembering this really carefully. "We were sitting on a bench eating ice cream and he told me that he would really miss me when I left because despite the hero worship he gave Jace, I was always going to be his favorite brother." Clary noticed Magnus pulled him closer to him.

"I told you that it would come back to you at some point." Magnus said to Alec and he simply nodded.

It was getting late and Clary needed to head home. Jace walked her towards the door and they stopped and Clary looked up at him. She knew that today was a roller coaster of emotions for him but she was really happy to see him laugh and smile with his family.

"Thank you for coming today Clary." Jace said and Clary smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

"Of course. You know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." She said and Jace smiled.

"Izzy and I are coming back to school on Monday." Jace said and Clary nodded.

"That's good, but you can still take some time to process everything that happened." Clary said and Jace nodded and looked into her eyes.

"We've missed a lot of school already, and despite how much it sucks, life goes on." Jace said and Clary knew what he meant. After a few moments of silence Jace spoke again. "I've been trying to think of a way to say thank you to you for the past couple days."

"You don't have to thank me Jace." Clary said but Jace grabbed her hands and pulled her closer to him.

"Yes I do. I don't think I would have been able to handle these last couple days without you." He said and Clary smiled.

"I would never miss out on this. You know I am always here for you." Clary said and Jace smiled and kissed her. "I love you Jace. So much, and I absolutely hate that your family had to go through this, but you can always count on me to be here through the good and the bad times."

"I love you too Clary." He said and Clary leaned up and kissed him and than smiled. Clary and Jace both knew that this pain wouldn't go away over night. It might take Jace years to completely grieve the lose of Max, but he also knew that having Clary by his side would most definitely help.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy and Simon were cuddled together on the couch while everyone was up and moving around after their family walk down memory lane. Izzy couldn't stop thinking about what happened during the day. It felt weird to her that she had attended her little brothers funeral. She was glad that Simon was there with her. She didn't know how she would do it without him. He kept her grounded and she needed that.

Simon couldn't believe that he had Isabelle Lightwood cuddled into his side right now. Ever since she told him she liked him, and they kissed it had been almost like a dream. He never in a million years thought that he had a chance in hell with her, but here they were, curled up on her couch together. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Izzy looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you for coming Simon." She said and he smiled at her.

"You know I wouldn't have missed it for the world." He said and she leaned up and kissed her cheek. She placed her head back on his chest and he pulled her closer to him. Simon didn't want to leave, and Izzy didn't want him to leave but when it started getting really late his mom and both Rebecca texted him saying that he needed to be home. Izzy walked him to the door and they both lingered.

"Thank you so much Simon." Izzy said and again and Simon smiled.

"You don't need to keep thanking me Iz. You know I'd do anything for you." He said and Izzy smiled.

"I'll be back in school on Monday." Izzy said, and Simon grabbed her hands.

"Are you sure?" Simon asked and Izzy shrugged.

"I'm not sure, but Jace and I have missed so much school already, and we can't get that far behind. Plus I am already falling behind, and having all that make up work will probably kill me." She said and she let out a laugh.

"I'd be more than happy to help you." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"A boyfriend, and a nerd all in one, I think I might have hit the jackpot." Izzy said and Simon laughed and pulled her into him.

"I never thought I'd hear the day that Isabelle Lightwood was proud to be dating a nerd." He said and she smiled.

"I didn't know what I was missing out on before." She said and she pressed her lips to his. Izzy couldn't tell what it was about Simon, but she absolutely loved the feeling of his lips on hers. When they broke apart she couldn't help but smile. "I'll see you Monday?"

"I'll meet you in the parking lot." Simon said and Izzy smiled and nodded. "Goodnight Iz."

"Goodnight Simon." Izzy said and she watched him walk to his car. She leaned against the door frame and smiled to herself. She got lucky with him. She was completely selfish before and when Simon entered her life it was like something switched and she finally found something worth her time and attention and she didn't deserve him, but she was thankful for him.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec and Magnus made it back to Magnus's apartment and when they got back they just sat on the couch for a couple minutes to let everything sink in. Alec had no idea how to process what happened today. He hasn't expected his parents to be so supportive of him and it shocked him.

"What are you thinking about?" Magnus asked and Alec looked at him.

"Today was a weird day." Alec said and Magnus let out a little laugh.

"That it was." Magnus said as he held Alec's hand.

"I didn't expect them to be so open about our relationship." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"You didn't give them enough credit Alexander." Magnus said and Alec sighed.

"I don't think they would have been so opened about it before." Alec confessed and Magnus put his arm around Alec.

"I can't speak for your parents Alec, but your family just went through a traumatic event, and they realize that life is short, and it shouldn't be spent dwelling on things they can't change."

"I guess." Alec said and Magnus put his fingers under Alec's chin and forced eye contact.

"You're out now Alec, and they accepted it. Just remember that. Don't think about what could have happened, or what you think should have happened cloud your mind." Magnus said and he pressed his lips to Alec's.

"Can I stay here for a few more days?" Alec asked and Magnus smiled.

"Absolutely Alexander." Magnus said and he stood up. He reached his hand out and Alec took it. Magnus lead Alec to his room and they both retired for the night. Magnus was right, Alec couldn't keep thinking about what could have happened. His parents knew, and he was with Magnus. Despite everything that happened recently in his life, he was happy in his relationship and that one positive that Alec could smile about.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

When Monday rolled around Jace was pretty anxious to go back to school. Everything was just so fresh still, and unreal. The only thing that was helping him right now was the thought of seeing Clary today. It would be weird, since their relationship was still extremely new and nobody at school knew, but he was ready to face the stares and the whispers about it.

Izzy and Jace got into the car and drove to school in silence. When they pulled up to the parking lot Jace immediately spotted Clary standing talking to Simon. He heard Izzy take a deep breath and he looked at her and smiled. She smiled back and they both got out of the car. They made their way over to Clary and Simon and when Jace locked eyes with Clary he immediately felt lighter. He walked over to her and pressed his lips to hers. When they pulled apart she smiled at him.

"How are you?" Clary asked and Jace grabbed her hand and started walking.

"I'm a little overwhelmed but its not as bad as I thought it would be." Jace answered and Clary nodded. As they both suspected when they entered the building they were greeted with shocked eyes. Jace and Clary both tried to ignore it as much as possible. When Jace walked Clary to her locker he lingered for a little.

"I'll be in the art room at the end of the day if you want to stop by." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"Will you be there during lunch?" Jace asked knowing that's normally what she did.

"No, I thought I'd eat with Simon and Izzy today." Clary said and Jace nodded.

"I'll join you." Jace said and Clary smiled at him. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his and she felt Jace smile in the middle of the kiss. When they pulled apart he smiled at her once more. "I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you too." Clary said and than Jace walked away. She watched him leave and couldn't help but smile as she watched. Clary couldn't more thankful for Jace and she couldn't wait to explore their relationship more.

As Jace walked into his first class he was completely zoned out. He wasn't processing anything that was happening, and he just wanted to be around Clary again. His friend Sebastian sat down next to him and wouldn't stop staring at him. After a couple minutes Jace was getting annoyed.

"What do you want Sebastian?" Jace asked and Sebastian laughed.

"Heard you were making out with that feisty little redhead a couple minutes ago." He said as he smirked and Jace rolled his eyes. "What's the plan of action?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Jace asked him.

"Come on dude. You know, how are we going to humiliate her." Sebastian said and that just set off Jace.

"We're not, because if you so much as step anywhere near her I'll kick your ass." Jace said and Sebastian looked at him with a confused expression.

"Chill dude." Sebastian said.

"I'm serious Sebastian. This isn't a game to me. We're actually in a relationship and I swear to god if you try to sabotage this you'll regret it." Jace said and Sebastian put his hands up in a surrendering motion and in that moment the teacher walked in and started teaching. Jace wasn't happy about what Sebastian was probably planning in his mind, but he had to warn Clary when he saw her at lunch. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he wouldn't let an asshole like Sebastian ruin that.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Simon and Izzy figured they'd get a couple stares, but they had no idea when they stepped into the school the entire hallway stopped. They were staring wide eyed at the two holding hands. Simon was the first to break and started walking pulling Izzy with him. Eventually everyone went back to their business and Izzy and Simon got to her locked. Simon brushed a stray hair off her cheek and she smiled.

"Forget about everyone. They don't matter." Simon said and she smiled.

"I know, but I was just getting used to not being the center of attention, and now here we are." She said and Simon laughed.

"Yes, but you aren't alone now. I'm right in the center as well." He said and Izzy nodded. Simon leaned down and pressed his lips to her. "I'll see you at lunch?"

"Absolutely." Izzy said and Simon smiled and walked away. Izzy took a deep breath and got her books and made her way to first period. Today had the potential to get much worse and she wasn't looking forward to it.

When lunch rolled around Izzy was greeted with not only Simon at lunch but also Jace and Clary. She was glad she didn't have to go through all of this alone. When she sat down Simon kissed her cheek and she couldn't help but smile. Lunch was going by fine, they laughed, and talked and Izzy was grateful for these three people. She never knew what it felt like to have real friends and now she did and she loved it.

"Well well well, if it isn't the reject table." Izzy heard Aline say from behind her as her posse approached the table. "Well, except Jace, but watching you make out with the leprechaun this morning kinda killed your status at the school." She said and Jace just laughed.

"Rather make out with her than with your whore mouth." Jace said and Clary, Simon and Izzy were all stunned.

"That's not what you were saying when we hooked up." She smugly said and everyone could see Clary visible tense but Jace started rubbing circles on her arm and it calmed her down.

"I'll admit, that's not my proudest moment." Jace simply said and Aline glared at him, and than turned her attention towards Izzy.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're all buddy buddy with the nerdiest guy in the school. Having no friends, and being the social outcast doesn't leave a lot of room for actual friends." She said and Izzy stood up, and she towered over Aline.

"We were never friends Aline. You made that perfectly clear when you spread my business all over the fucking school." Izzy said and Aline just smiled.

"Shouldn't have been such a slut than. Although, you're family is riddled with problems." She said and Izzy's eyes got cold. "I mean, your older brother is a faggot, Jace here is the charity case, and you're a slut and a murder." She said and Izzy's eyes widened.

"How…" She said and Aline laughed.

"My cousin works at the hospital. She told me all about your little brother Max. Tragic really. Too bad you didn't die right next to him. How do you sleep at night Isabelle? Knowing you murdered your little brother." She asked and Izzy was about to fall over when Simon caught her.

"Shut the fuck up Aline." Jace said as he stood up. His fists were clenched and Aline just smiled.

"What are you going to do? Hit me? I'd love to see how this school handles that situation." She said smugly and Clary couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and punched Aline so hard that you could hear the crunch of her nose and she fell right on her ass.

"Keep fucking talking I'll break more than your fucking nose." Clary said and Aline's friends helped her up and they ran out of the cafeteria undoubtedly to tell the principle on Clary. Clary turned around and looked at Izzy who was completely pale. Simon was talking into her ear but Izzy couldn't hear anything. She stood up and ran. Simon looked at Jace and Clary and they both understood. Simon ran after Izzy and found her around the corner crying on the floor. Simon picked her up and took her to his car. He put her in the passenger side and than he drove off. Simon had no idea where he was going but he knew that Izzy needed to be in a completely isolated place. She couldn't be around people right now.

Suddenly an idea clicked in Simon's head. When he was younger his father build him a pretty crazy tree house in the forest. He would go there to escape from his parents when he was mad at them or when he just simply needed to be alone. He immediately drove there and when he reached the forest Izzy had finally calmed down. She looked up at him and was very confused.

"Where are we?" She asked and Simon smiled.

"I figured you needed some distance from everything and everyone. So I brought you to my old hide out." He said and Izzy smiled. They got out of the car, Simon grabbed her hand and they started walking. They got to the ladder and Izzy looked up.

"Are you sure this is safe?" She asked and Simon laughed.

"I would not put you life in danger Iz." Simon said and she shrugged and started making her way up the ladder. When she reached the top she was surprised. This wasn't a regular tree house, but it looked like a little room. Simon made his way up and he looked around. "My dad and I worked on this for an entire summer." He said and Izzy smiled.

"How the hell did you get a sofa up here?" She asked as they took a seat.

"How else? A fork lift." He said and she laughed. Simon grabbed a blanket and Izzy curled up into his side and just took a deep breath. After a couple minutes Simon spoke. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I can't believe she would say that." Izzy said and Simon couldn't agree more. "I mean the nerve of her to call Alec that when she in fact is a lesbian, or at least attracted to both genders."

"I can't explain why Aline is the way she is, and I would never try and excuse what she did. Some people are just horrible Iz. They are the product of their environment and maybe she just wasn't raised right." Simon said and he felt Izzy nod. "At least Clary got in a good hit."

"Clary hit her?" Izzy asked and Simon nodded.

"Pretty sure she broke her nose." Izzy couldn't believe it. "Look, you are in no way guilty of murder Iz. Aline was just trying to get a rise out of you. She likes pushing your buttons, and she used all the ammo she had in order to do that to you."

"I already feel guilty enough, I don't need her adding to the guilt." Izzy said and Simon pulled her closer to him.

"It wasn't your fault Iz. One day you'll have to accept that, and than it'll be easier for you to grieve." He said and Izzy nodded.

"Thank you." She said and she looked up into his eyes. "I don't think I could have be able to make it through today, or his funeral, or his death without you and I don't thank you enough for that."

"You don't have to thank me Iz. I'd do anything for you." Simon said as he pressed his lips to her temple. Izzy curled against him and smiled to herself. Today sucked more than she would like to admit, but she was glad she had someone as amazing as Simon to help her through it.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec still hadn't gone back to his classes and Magnus knew that if he didn't get a kick in the ass he would sit on his couch for the rest of his life. Magnus got back from class to see Alec sitting on the couch watching TV like he does all day. Magnus walked over, grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

"Hey, I was watching that." Alec protested.

"Alec, you can't sit here and watch 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' for the rest of your life. Your brain will disintegrate." Magnus said and Alec groaned.

"I don't think I can do this Magnus." Alec said and Magnus sat next to him.

"You'll never know unless you try. I know this is devastating. I really do, and maybe you can ease yourself back into school. But sitting here doing absolutely nothing isn't good for you." Alec leaned into Magnus and Magnus couldn't help but smile.

"I guess I could start with my night class tonight." Alec said and Magnus laughed.

"How about you start with your class at 11 am tomorrow? A three hour night class isn't exactly easing your way back into school." Magnus offered and Alec laughed.

"Okay." Alec said and Magnus gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Now, how about we watch good television?" Magnus offered and Alec laughed and nodded. Magnus grabbed something to drink and something to eat, and sat down on the couch and turned on a good TV and cuddled together. Alec knew sitting on the couch being unproductive wasn't good but he couldn't find the energy to go about his life, but having Magnus there to motivate him definitely helped.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

Clary was sent to the principles office after lunch was over and Jace was standing outside waiting for her to be released. It felt like she had been in there forever and when the door finally opened out walked a satisfied looking Clary and an annoyed looking principal. Clary didn't say anything until she got to her locker when she looked up at Jace.

"What happened?" Jace asked.

"I got suspended for the week." Clary said and Jace's eyes widened.

"That seems drastic. He couldn't have given you detention?" Jace asked and Clary grabbed her bag and filled it with books.

"This school has an no-violence policy which I clearly violated when I broke her nose. He had no other choice. I have to get off school property immediately." She said and they started walking.

"I'm sorry." He said and Clary stopped and turned towards him.

"Hey, those actions were mine and mine alone. Do I regret it? Hell no. She had it coming." Clary said and Jace smiled at her.

"It's going to suck without you here." Jace said and Clary sighed.

"That's the only reason I have remorse for my actions. I know this week is going to be hard for you, and I'm sorry I let my impulses get the better of me. I wish I could be here for you throughout this week, and I'm sorry that I can't." Clary said and Jace grabbed her hand.

"You were just defending Izzy. I would have done the same thing if it was a guy, so I completely understand you doing it." He said and they got to the doors. "I'll bring your homework over everyday after school."

"I'd love that. I'm going to have a field day explaining this to my mom." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"She'll understand. Or at least I hope she does. Cause I'd like to spend a little time with you while I drop off your work." He said and Clary laughed. "I love you, and thank you for defending my family."

"I love you too." Clary said as she pressed her lips to his. "It was my pleasure breaking her nose for your family." Jace gave Clary one more smiled before she exited the school and made her way to her car. She wasn't looking forward to the conversation she had to have with her mom, but at least she had a justifiable reason to punch her. When Clary got inside she was glad she didn't see any signs of her mom, that was until she turned the corner and entered the kitchen. Jocelyn was sitting at the table and she didn't look pleased.

"Care to explain why you got suspended for punching a girl and breaking her nose?" She said in a deadly calm voice.

"I actually have a very valid and justified reason for my actions." Clary said as she took a seat.

"I'm listening." Jocelyn said and Clary took a deep breath.

"Jace and Izzy came back to school today, and at lunch one of the bitchiest girls at the school came over and started talking all this shit on their family." Clary said and Jocelyn was listening intently. "She called Alec, their older brother, a faggot, she called Jace a charity case, and she called Izzy a slut and a murder. She had that punch coming. Izzy was mortified and Aline wouldn't shut up. Jace looked like he was ready to deck her but he would never hit a girl, so I stepped up and put her in her place." Clary explained and Jocelyn's expression softened.

"I don't condone violence Clarissa." She said and Clary hated when she used her full name.

"I know that mom, and neither do I, but if you were there, you would have wanted to punch her too." Clary said and Jocelyn simply sighed.

"I'm upset with you Clary, but after hearing your side of the story, I'm slightly less upset." Jocelyn said and Clary gave her a small smile. "But please, no more breaking peoples noses."

"I promise mom. I don't ever want it to have to come to that again, but when someone is disrespecting my friends, and my boyfriend I'm not going to sit around and let it happen."

"Did you say boyfriend?" Jocelyn asked and it just dawned on Clary that she hadn't actually told her mother about Jace.

"Yes. Jace and I made it official last week." Clary said and Jocelyn nodded. "I'm sorry I never told you. Everything was just really chaotic with the funeral and school, and you've been working like crazy hours I guess I just forgot."

"It's okay. I know you had a trying week. I get it." She said and Clary smiled. "How are the Lightwoods doing?"

"They are pretty broken still. I can't imagine how Izzy is feeling. That girl attacked her today. Called her a murderer mom. I've never been so angry in my whole entire life, and that's saying something because you were at Jonathan's parole hearing."

"I can't believe that girl got away with it." Jocelyn said.

"I told the principal what she said and he told me he was going to have a chat with her too." Clary said and Jocelyn nodded. "Jace said he was going to bring my homework over after school every day this week, is it alright if he stays for a little while after he comes over?" Clary asked hesitantly.

"I feel like I shouldn't allow that, but considering why you reacted the way you did I can't see any reason why you can't see him." Clary got up and hugged her mom.

"Thank you mom. I promise, I won't break anymore noses." Clary said and Jocelyn smiled. Clary went to her room and texted Jace.

 **Clary –** Just talked to my mom, she was upset but understood. She said it would be okay if you stayed after you dropped off my homework.

After a couple minutes Jace replied.

 **Jace –** That's great! I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to see you.

 **Clary –** I understand. How was the rest of school?

 **Jace –** Well, the whole entire school knows about Max. I got a lot of 'I'm sorry's' which really sucked, and you were the talk of the school. Apparently Aline want's you to pay for the damages.

 **Clary –** Well, I told the principal what she said and he said he was going to talk to her. I will not pay for shit. She deserved more than a broken nose.

 **Jace –** I know babe, and it was pretty hot watching to send her straight on her ass, but let's keep the violence to a minimum.

 **Clary –** I promise to not break any more noses unless the situation calls for it.

 **Jace –** That's all I'm asking! I have to go. I need to speak with Maryse. Love you!

 **Clary –** Love you too!

I put my phone down and started sketching. I wasn't proud of my actions today, but I felt like they were necessary and for that I wouldn't apologize. Getting suspended wasn't the worst thing that could have happened.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Neither of them knew when they fell asleep but Izzy was woken up when her phone started ringing. When she sat up it caused Simon to wake up as well. She grabbed her phone and answered it.

"Hello?" She groggily answered.

"Isabelle Sophia Lightwood, where the hell are you?" Her mothers voice boomed from the other end. Izzy looked at her phone and realized that it was almost 5 at night, and she was still in Simon's tree house.

"I am so sorry mom. School was rough today and Simon took me to his childhood tree house and we both ended up falling asleep." She said as she got up and started putting her shoes back on.

"You should have sent me a text Isabelle." Her mom said.

"I know I should have mom. I didn't mean to fall asleep, and neither did Simon." She said.

"Just get home Isabelle." Her mom said.

"Be right there." She said and she hung up and looked at Simon. "I can't believe we fell asleep."

"I'm really sorry. I knew you were asleep and I wasn't planning on joining you." He said and Izzy leaned over and kissed him.

"It's okay. I think my mom will understand after I tell her why I ditched school." Izzy said and Simon stood up and Izzy followed.

"After you." He said and Izzy started down the ladder. Once they were both at the bottom Simon grabbed Izzy's hand and they made their way to his car. Simon's hand rested on Izzy's thigh the entire time home and Izzy had her hand placed on top of his. When they arrived at the Lightwood house Simon walked Izzy to the door and they both lingered.

"Thank you for today Simon." Izzy said and Simon kissed her forehead.

"You know I'd do anything to make you happy." He said and Izzy smiled. "You going to come to school tomorrow?"

"Yea. If I don't, she wins." Izzy said and Simon nodded.

"Goodnight Iz." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"Goodnight Simon." She said and she watched him walk back to his car. When Izzy got inside she went searching for her mom and found her in the kitchen. "Mom?" Izzy said and Maryse looked up.

"Jace told me about what happened in school today." Maryse said and Izzy shrugged and took a seat. "I can't believe she would say those awful things about our family. I will be having a talk with the principal tomorrow."

"You don't have to do that mom." Izzy said.

"Yes I do. Clary got suspended and that girl is expecting her to pay for her medical expenses."

"Clary got suspended?" Izzy asked and Maryse nodded.

"She broke her nose." Jace said and Izzy and Maryse turned around. "She's out for the rest of the week."

"That's totally ridiculous. If he knew what Aline was saying Clary would be getting a trophy." Izzy said and Jace laughed.

"Clary told the principal what she said and is planning on talking to her as well." Jace said and Izzy nodded.

"How did Clary's mom react?" Maryse asked.

"She was upset but after hearing why Clary punched her, she wasn't as upset." Jace said.

"I can't wait until I see Clary again so I can give her the biggest hug and kiss." Izzy said.

"Whoa, she's mine." Jace said and Izzy laughed. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Me too. Simon really knows how to make a terrible situation better." Izzy said.

"I don't want to know what you two were doing all that time you were gone." Jace said and Izzy smacked his shoulder.

"He took me to his old tree house and we fell asleep. It was isolated and very peaceful. Exactly what I needed." Izzy said and Jace smiled and left the kitchen. Izzy turned back to her mom.

"I can't even imagine how terrible today was for you sweetie, and if you need more time you can have it."

"I'm okay mom. I have Simon, and Jace, and Clary. If I don't go back, she wins and I can't have that. What she said wasn't true and I'm going to stop allowing her to push my buttons so much."

"I'm proud of you Izzy." Maryse said as she gave her a hug. Izzy left the kitchen and went up to her room. She was in desperate need of a shower and a good movie, and that's what she was going to do.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

When Alec walked into his class the next day he felt completely numb. He knew that Magnus just wanted to help him get back on his feet but it was still incredibly hard that his brother was gone. He took his seat and got his books out, and waited for the teacher to come in. A girl sat down next to him and tapped him on the shoulder, when Alec looked over at her she smiled at him.

"You haven't been in class the past week, are you okay?" She asked and Alec took a deep breath.

"Just some family stuff I had to take care of." Alec said and she nodded. She quickly scribbled something down and slid it over to Alec.

"Here's my number, in case you need someone to talk to, or you want to grab a cup of coffee, or lunch." She said and Alec simply grabbed the piece of paper and smiled at her. The professor walked in and started teaching and the conversation he just previously had was lost and Alec mindlessly started taking note.

When class was over Alec made a beeline for Magnus's apartment. It was his only class today and he was really happy that he was finished. When he walked into the apartment he could see Magnus working on his latest project that took up most of his time. Magnus turned around and smiled at Alec. He walked over and pressed a quick kiss on Alec's lips. Alec put his stuff down and his books fell out of his bag.

"Well, that explains my day." Alec said and Magnus laughed.

"Didn't go well?" Magnus asked as he picked up some of Alec's stuff.

"I just felt out of place." Alec said. When Magnus picked up his bag he noticed a little piece sticking out with numbers on it. When he pulled it out he noticed it was a phone number.

"Who is Tanya?" Magnus asked and Alec looked at him with confusion. Magnus held up the piece of paper and Alec instantly remembered that conversation.

"Oh, some girl in my class. She said that if I ever needed someone to talk to that I could call her, or if I wanted to grab coffee at some point." Alec said and Magnus laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Oh Alexander, she was asking you out." Magnus said and Alec's eyes widened.

"Really?" Alec asked and Magnus laughed and stepped closer to Alec.

"You are quite beautiful darling, I can't blame her for wanting you to herself, but you're all mine." Magnus said and Alec's heart skipped a beat. Alec knew that the past week and a half really brought them together, but Alec actually hearing Magnus call him 'his' was a big thing for Alec, and it was an intense feeling, but Alec liked it a lot.

"I had no idea." Alec said and that just made Magnus laugh a little more.

"Of course you didn't Alexander. You aren't in the right mind to be recognizing flirting when it's being done to you, plus the fact that you aren't the slightest bit attracted to her." Magnus said. "You aren't attracted to her are you?" He asked, which caused Alec to laugh.

"Nope. I'm 100% gay." Alec said and Magnus smiled. It was silent for a minute before Alec spoke again. "How's your project coming?"

"I'm almost finished. I just need to hem a few more things, and than have the fitting with my model and that's it." Magnus said and Alec nodded. Alec went over and laid down on the couch and when Magnus looked at him he could just tell that he was still in so much pain. Magnus hated seeing him this way. Sure, Alec isn't the most outgoing person, and he wouldn't be classified as a social butterfly but Magnus loved all those things about Alec. His dark demeanor and his horrible fashion sense was endearing to Magnus and seeing how hurt he was truly broke his heart. "Hey, how about we go out to dinner tonight." Magnus suggested and Alec looked at him.

"Why?" Alec questioned.

"Because we technically haven't been on our first date yet, and you look like you need a somewhat happy ending to this day." Magnus said and Alec smiled.

"Dinner would be great." Alec said and Magnus smiled. "I'm going to take a nap. I didn't really sleep well last night." Alec said as he started to make himself comfy on the couch.

"Alexander, go to my room and nap in my bed." Magnus said and it took Alec off guard. There were so many reasons why this was such a big deal to him, and his mind was whirling with all the reasons.

"But…." Alec started but Magnus cut him off.

"My bed is a lot comfier than that couch, and you said you didn't sleep well. There is no point in a nap if it isn't going to rejuvenate you properly." Magnus said and Alec smiled. He got up and silently made his way to the bedroom.

Magnus watched Alec go and when he heard the door shut he sighed to himself. Being able to be with Alec this way was everything that Magnus wanted for so many months, but he knew that Alec wasn't happy, and he knew that it had nothing to do with him, but it still hurt. Magnus wanted to be in a relationship that was full of laughter, and happiness, and sparkles, and at the moment this was a dark and depressing time. Magnus understood why, and he was going to give Alec as much time as he needed to process and grieve, but that didn't mean it was any less painful for Magnus to be stuck in such a difficult position.

A couple hours later Magnus walked into his room to wake Alec up. He had finished this project, and all that was left was the final fitting and Magnus was proud of himself. When he saw Alec sleeping peacefully he almost didn't want to wake him up because for the first time in days he looked blissful.

Magnus walked over and started rubbing his back until Alec started stirring. When his eyes finally opened he gave Magnus a smile and it made him happy to see Alec finally start to let little bits and pieces of his happiness show.

"You ready for dinner darling?" Magnus asked and Alec nodded and got out of bed. They got to the restaurant and were seated immediately. They were looking at the menus when their waitress came over and started to talk but than stopped. Alec looked up and her eyes were glued on him and he recognized her immediately, Tanya.

"Alec." She said and Alec gave her a small smile. "It's nice to see you again." She said.

"You too Tanya." Alec said back not wanting to be rude.

"Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to get that cup of coffee tomorrow." She said and Magnus was trying his hardest to not smile as Alec looked embarrassed.

"Tanya, you seem like a really great person, and I'm sure one day you will make a guy very happy, but I'm not that guy." Alec said politely and she gave him a sad smile.

"I understand. I didn't expect a hot guy like you to ever be interested in me anyway." She said slightly defeated.

"Tanya, it's not that. Really. You are a beautiful girl, and you seem really sweet, but I'm just not into you. Or any female for that matter." Alec said, and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Oh my god." She said and than she looked at Magnus. "I had no idea. I am so sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"I promise you Tanya, you didn't make me uncomfortable at all. Same can't be said for my boyfriend, but it was a misunderstanding." Alec said and she looked at Magnus and smiled.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to come on to your boyfriend right in front of you." She said and Magnus smiled.

"I can't blame you sweetheart, he is fine." Magnus said and she laughed.

"That he is." She said and Magnus could have sworn he saw Alec blush. "Anyway, what can I get you?" She asked and they ordered. The rest of the night went by really well, and Magnus even got Alec to laugh a couple times, which he thought was huge.

When they got back to Magnus's apartment they took a seat on the couch. It was quiet for a while before Magnus couldn't stand the silence anymore. He got up and made his way to the bedroom and started getting ready for bed. When he emerged from his bathroom Alec was standing in the doorway.

"Are you upset with me?" Alec asked and Magnus sighed.

"I'm not upset." Magnus said and Alec made his way closer to him.

"You seem to be." Alec said and Magnus looked at him.

"I promise you I'm not, I just hate seeing you so incredibly sad." Magnus said and Alec nodded.

"Look, I know I've been absolutely not fun the past week and a half, and I know you've been trying to cheer me up, and help me through it, and I truly appreciate it but I just I'm so lost right now." Alec confessed and Magnus took his hands into his own.

"I get that Alexander, but wallowing the way you are is not healthy." Magnus said. "This pain will never go away. It'll always be there, and I understand that. But you can't keep going on like this."

"I just don't know what to do. I held him the day he was born. I watched him grow up. I can't stand the fact that I'll never see him graduate high school, get a girlfriend, or have kids." Alec said and Magnus moved closer to him.

"Max meant a lot to you. I know that. I can see that in your eyes, and I can see how much this is tearing you apart, and it's killing me Alec." Magnus said and Alec looked into his golden green eyes.

"I'm so sorry I've been so blah." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"You know I'd do anything for you Alec, and I will be here until you have completely grieved, but promise me that you'll let me know when you need to lean on me."

"I promise Magnus." Alec said and than Magnus kissed him. After a few moments they broke apart and Magnus smiled.

"Sleep with me." He said and Alec's eyes widened. "Not like that, just go to sleep in the same bed as me tonight." He said and Alec smiled and joined him in bed. Alec knew that Magnus only had his best interests at heart, but that didn't make the pain go away, but he was going to let Magnus help him in anyway that he could.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

A couple days later Clary and Jocelyn sat in the principals office along with Aline and her mom to discuss the outside punishments that Aline wants to give Clary. Her nose was in fact broken and Aline and her mother wanted Clary to pay for her nose job. When Aline brought that up Clary couldn't help but laugh, which caused her to be even more mad.

"She should be expelled." Aline's mom said after a minute of silence.

"We can't expel her Mrs. Penhallow." The principal said.

"She broke my daughters nose!" She yelled and Clary didn't want to hear anymore.

"She deserved it!" Clary yelled and everyone looked at her.

"My daughter did nothing to deserve it." She said and Clary scoffed.

"What made up story did she tell you that lead to the punch?" Clary asked and Aline sunk in her chair.

"She was just talking to her friend Isabelle and you got jealous and punched her." Mrs. Penhallow said.

"Not even close." Clary said. "Your daughter spread a malicious rumor about Isabelle at the beginning of the school year that just so happened to be true, because your daughter took her personal journal and read it." Clary started. "It broke Isabelle. All her friends would laugh at her, and she practically hit rock bottom, until my best friend Simon befriended her."

"Aline." Her mother started but Clary wasn't finished.

"That's not even the worst of it." Clary said and Mrs. Penhallow looked at her. "Two weeks ago the Lightwood's lost their youngest in a drunk driving accident. Isabelle was driving and they were hit by a guy in a truck. He was heavily under the influence, and he didn't make it." Clary said and Mrs. Penhallow looked like she was about to cry. "When Isabelle decided to come back to school Aline stood in the middle of the cafeteria and called the eldest Lightwood a faggot, called Jace, who is their other brother, a charity case, and she called Isabelle a slut and a murderer." Clary stood up. "Isabelle was in complete shock, and Jace looked like he wanted to hit her but he would never hit a girl, so I stepped up and put your daughter in her place. If anything Isabelle is the victim here."

"Aline, is all of that true?" The principal asked but she said nothing.

"You can ask anyone, the whole cafeteria heard her. I'm telling you the truth, I wouldn't lie about that. She was attacking my friends, and my boyfriend, and I wasn't going to let her get away with it. I'm sorry I broke the school policy but she was being awful." Clary said.

"Aline, I'm giving you one last chance to tell me the truth other wise I'll bring this case up to the board and they will decide your punishment." The principal said and Aline finally looked up and nodded. "Aline Penhallow, you are suspended until further notice." He said and Mrs. Penhallow grabbed Aline by the arm and walked her out of the office. "I'm very sorry Clarissa for being so rash when it came to your punishment."

"I understand. I broke the rules and I expected to be punished accordingly, but I wasn't letting her get away without some type of punishment as well." Clary said and the principal nodded.

"You may return to school tomorrow, and I'll let the teachers know that you are in no way to be punished for the work you've missed."

"I've still been doing my work. Jace, the adoptive brother, is my boyfriend and he's been gathering it and bringing it to me after school all week." Clary said and the principal smiled.

"Thank you for coming in today." He said and Jocelyn and Clary smiled and walked out. To both of their surprises the Lightwood's and Simon were all standing outside of his office.

"What are you all doing here?" Clary asked and Jace walked over and gave her a sweet kiss.

"We were going to be your back up in case things went sideways." Izzy said and Clary laughed. Izzy walked over and gave Clary a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for what you did."

"It was no big deal Iz. You know I would do it all over again if I had too." Clary said and Izzy smiled.

"So, what happened? Aline and her mom booked it out of here like they were being chased." Jace said and Clary laughed.

"Aline has been suspended until further notice. I can come back to school tomorrow, and I don't have to pay for her nose job." Clary said and everyone looked pleased.

"How about we all go out for lunch?" Maryse said and everyone smiled. "I think we all deserve a nice lunch after what happened this past week."

"I think that sounds like a perfect idea." Jocelyn said and everyone grabbed their bags and left the school.

Lunch was great. Everyone was laughing and smiling and Clary was glad to see the pure happiness from Izzy, Jace and Maryse. Things had been extremely tense and to see them so care free in this moment was exactly what everybody needed. When lunch was over Jace asked Clary if she'd go somewhere with him so he could tell her something, and since Clary was no longer suspended Jocelyn let her go without protest. They got into Jace's car and he started driving. Clary had no idea where he was taking her but she could tell he was a little nervous. They finally pulled up to the park and got out and sat on a nearby bench.

"What's going on Jace?" Clary asked after a moment.

"You know how I told you I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life?" He asked and Clary nodded. "Well, before Christmas I decided that I would apply to some music schools."

"Really?" Clary asked excitedly. "That's great Jace!"

"I figured I'm good on the piano, and I love playing it so why not try and go somewhere with it."

"Why do you sound so nervous?" Clary asked.

"I got a letter in the mail yesterday from one of them." Jace said and he pulled the envelope out of his pocket and gave it to her.

"Jace, this letter is from Juilliard." Clary said completely awestruck.

"I know." Jace said.

"Why haven't you opened it?" Clary asked.

"I wanted to open it with you." Jace said and Clary smiled at him.

"Are you ready?" Clary asked.

"Can you read it for me? I don't think I can." Jace said and Clary nodded. Clary opened the envelope and took out the paper. Immediately her eyes widened as she read _Congratulations Jonathan Lightwood on your acceptance to Juilliard._ Clary screamed and jumped off the bench.

"YOU MADE IT JACE!" She screamed and kept jumping up and down. "Oh my god, you got in!" Jace was still sitting on the bench in complete shock. When Clary noticed that he wasn't moving she climbed on his lap and hugged him. "I am so proud of you."

"I can't believe I got in." Jace said and Clary kissed him.

"Your amazing Jace, and they would be crazy to turn you away." Clary said and Jace wrapped his arms tighter around her waist.

"I applied because it has one of the best music programs in the country and I wouldn't have to leave New York, but I didn't think I had that great of a shot at getting in."

"Why not?" Clary asked.

"The kids that apply train their whole lives to get into this school. They practice every single day for hours, and piano is all they pretty much do." Jace explained. "I just picked it up when I was younger and it became an escape. I never did it for anything but to escape from my horrible past."

"But that's what makes you so good." Clary said. "You play with passion because you are playing your emotions. It's what makes what you play so much more passionate."

"You think I can make it there?" Jace asked and Clary smiled before pressing her lips to his.

"I think you will accomplish amazing things if you choose to go to Juilliard." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"I think that's where I want to go." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I support you in whatever decision you make." Clary said and Jace pressed his lips to her. The future was scary for both Jace and Clary, but they knew that whatever the future held for both of them that they could get through it as long as they had each other.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

It was a Saturday and Izzy was walking around the fabric store for the next design that she was going to make. Summer was coming and she needed to make a few more dresses. She wasn't paying attention when she ran into someone in the middle of the aisle.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry." Izzy said and the woman smiled.

"It's not a problem dear." She said and Izzy smiled. "Cute outfit. Where did you get it?" The woman asked.

"I actually made it." Izzy said.

"You make your own clothes?" She asked and Izzy felt embarrassed but nodded anyway. "You're really talented. Are you going to school for fashion?"

"I haven't actually applied anywhere because I didn't know what I wanted exactly." Izzy confessed.

"But you want to be a designer?" She asked.

"That is the end goal." Izzy said.

"Well, I happen to be the director of the fashion department at Yale University, and I can see you have a lot of talent." The woman pulled out a call. "Give me a call when you decide what you want to do." Izzy took the card and the woman left. Izzy stood there for a minute completely dumbfounded as to what just happened.

After he bought all the fabric and went out to her car and just sat there. She looked at the card and did absolutely nothing else for about 10 minutes. Izzy never knew what she wanted to do in life, but making clothes was always something she enjoyed doing. The fact that she just ran into a woman who was the head of a major fashion department completely blew her mind. That doesn't normally happen, but it just did and Izzy was shocked. The first thing she wanted to do was tell Simon. She dialed his number while she pulled out of the parking lot

"What's up Iz?" Simon said on the other end of the call.

"I need to tell you something. Can we meet up?" Izzy said.

"Sure, I'm actually at Java Jones right now, meet me here?"

"Perfect. Be there soon." Izzy hung up and made her way to Java Jones. When she walked in she immediately saw Simon and smiled. She made her way over to him and gave him a sweet kiss.

"What's up Iz?" Simon asked and Izzy slid the card over to him. "What's this?"

"I bumped into that woman in the fabric store today. She loved my outfit, told me I had talent, and if I figured out what I wanted to do to call her."

"That's amazing Iz." Simon said and Izzy nodded.

"I'm still in shock. I mean, that doesn't happen often, and I mean I was going to take a year off to figure out what I wanted to do but she just landed in my lap and now I'm confused."

"Well, is fashion what you want to do Iz?" Simon asked.

"Yes." Izzy answered.

"Than take her up on the offer Iz. If this is what you want, take this as a sign and run with it."

"But I don't want it to look like I'm following you to Yale." Izzy said and Simon smiled. "Yale has been your dream for as long as you can remember, and I feel like I'm intruding."

"Isabelle, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." Simon said as he took her hand. "This woman just offered you a spot in the fashion department at a great school. You were right, this doesn't happen often, and I think you should take it."

"You wouldn't mind me going to the same school as you?" Izzy asked.

"Are you kidding? I get to continue going to school with my super hot girlfriend and brag to ever nerd on that campus about you." Izzy couldn't help but laugh. "And if you're there they can't accuse me of lying. It's a win/win situation."

"So you think I should do it?" Izzy asked.

"I really do." Simon said and Izzy smiled and got up and sat on his lap.

"Than I'll call her when I get home." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Sounds good." Simon said as he kissed her again. "You want anything while we're here?"

"Sure." Simon picked Izzy off his lap and went over to order her coffee. Izzy watched him the whole time and couldn't stop smiling. She didn't know what she did to get such an amazing guy like Simon to be her boyfriend but she was happy that he wasn't turned off after their first meeting. She owed a lot to him, and she was excited to head off to college knowing that he would be there for her as well made her happy, but that didn't mean she wasn't scared. She started thinking about all the things that could go wrong and it was really freaking her out. When Simon returned with her coffee he could tell that she was off.

"What's wrong Iz?" He asked.

"Do you think we'll make it?" She asked hesitantly and Simon gave her a smile.

"I think we can do it Izzy."

"But what if we break up? What if you find a super smart girl and like her more than me, and than it'll be awkward if we see each other around campus, and what if we get sick of each other and fight about every little thing?" She was rambling and Simon grabbed her hand and she looked at him.

"Isabelle Lightwood, I love you. I am so completely in love with you and I don't care how many fights we get into I will never leave you. We can make it through anything together because you make me a better person. You surprised the hell out of me when you told me you had feelings for me because I didn't think someone as beautiful as you would ever feel anything for someone like me." Simon said and Izzy had tears welling up in her eyes. "I promise that going to the same college will be an adventure and it might get tough, but I think we can do it. I think we got this."

"I love you too Simon." Izzy said after a minute and she could see the light in Simon's eyes. "I don't know when I realized it, but you are the only person who has truly showed me what it feels like to matter, and feel important and I can't wait to see where this relationship goes because there isn't anyone else I'd rather be with than you." Simon pulled her up and gave her the most passionate kiss he could to let he know that he was so incredibly happy that she told him. When they pulled apart Izzy and Simon were both smiling like complete idiots but that didn't matter. They were happy, they were going to Yale together, and they were going to last a very long time. They both were sure of that.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Mom, you really don't have to do that." Alec said while he was walking back to Magnus's after class.

"Your father and I want to get to know him. We haven't seen you since the funeral and we feel like knowing your boyfriend is important." Maryse said. Alec put his key into the lock and walked into Magnus's apartment. Magnus was sitting on the couch watching TV and he looked up and Alec help up one finger to tell him to hold on.

"But mom, you really don't have to drive all the way up here for dinner." Alec said as he sat next to Magnus.

"Your father and I have nothing to do tonight. Jace is out with Clary, Isabelle is with Simon and it's lonely in this house." She said and Alec sighed.

"Alright mom, dinner tonight, 7 o'clock." Alec said.

"Wonderful. Text me the address of the restaurant." Maryse said.

"I will." Alec said and he hung up.

"Dinner date tonight darling?" Magnus said and Alec smiled.

"My parents want to get to know you." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"That's not so bad." Magnus said and Alec laughed.

"I just don't want this dinner to go sideways." Alec said and Magnus took his hand.

"I think it will go well." Magnus said and Alec leaned over and pressed his lips to Magnus's. When he pulled apart both men smiled and settled into the couch.

A couple hours alter Alec and Magnus were on their way to the restaurant. Alec would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. He was surprised when his parents accepted his relationship with Magnus so easily, and even though Magnus told him not to question it, that's all Alec could do. He knew his parents better than anyone, and he knew that this would have really pissed them off before, and I guess losing Max was a turning point for them, but it still didn't sit right with Alec. Alec and Magnus were seated and they waited patiently for Maryse and Robert to show up and after about ten minutes Alec started getting anxious.

"Alexander, you need to calm down." Magnus said.

"I can't." Alec said and Magnus put his hand on his thigh.

"Yes you can. You're freaking out." Magnus said and Alec gave him a small smile. A few minutes later Maryse and Robert walking in and made their way over to their table. This didn't calm Alec though, if anything it made him more nervous.

"Alexander, Magnus, good to see you both again." Maryse said.

"You as well Mrs. Lightwood." Magnus said.

"Please, call me Maryse." She said and Magnus nodded. "How are you two doing?"

"Well, I think Alexander is having a hard time at this moment, but I'm doing well." Magnus said and Alec glared at him but it made Magnus smile.

"I'm fine mom." Alec finally said and Maryse nodded. "How is everything at home?"

"It's alright. Izzy got an offer from the head of the fashion department at Yale this afternoon, and Jace got into Juilliard." Maryse said.

"Shit. That's insane." Alec said and his parents laughed.

"We were stunned but they both seem really happy about their future and if they're happy, so are we."

"And their significant others?" Magnus asked.

"Simon is actually going to Yale as well. And Clary will be attending NYU." Robert said and Alec nodded.

"Seems like they all have their lives figured out." Magnus said and Maryse and Robert nodded.

"It seems like it, and I am happy they are both in serious relationships and pursuing what they really love."

"How are they going to do it?" Alec asked.

"Well, Isabelle asked if we could go apartment hunting up in Connecticut soon to find them a place to live." Maryse said and Alec nodded.

"And Jace and Clary?" Magnus asked.

"NYU and Juilliard are 20 minutes away from each other, so they want to find a place in the middle. You know Jace, he wouldn't survive being away from her. He's really relied on her since Max and I don't think them separating for college would really go over well with either of them." Maryse said and they all laughed.

"How do you think their parents are going to react?" Alec asked.

"I think Simon's mom would be happy he will have someone up there with him. According to Izzy, she wasn't thrilled that he got accepting to a school so far away. And Clary's mom she might be difficult, but I think since they are staying in the city she might warm up to the idea." Maryse explained and Alec and Magnus nodded.

The rest of the dinner went by smoothly. Maryse and Robert asked questions about Magnus's future and his childhood. They really did want to get to know him which really surprised Alec the most. He wasn't surprised the Magnus could make Maryse and Robert laugh. He could truly be charming when he wanted to be. Alec realized that he had been freaking out for nothing. Alec looked around the table at his boyfriend and his parents and realized that despite the hardships his family had to overcome in the last couple weeks really did make them appreciate life that much more, and Alec was sure going to make the rest of his life count.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Mom, can you please just listen to what we have to say?" Clary asked as her and Jace stood in the kitchen of her house trying to convince her mom to let Clary and Jace live together when they went to school.

"Clarissa, you're 18 years old. That's too young to move into an apartment with your boyfriend." Jocelyn said.

"But mom, it just makes sense." Clary said.

"What makes sense is for you to move into the dorms and get a roommate. You know, like most college freshman." Jocelyn said.

"First off, you know how I handle strangers. Second, you know how crazy my mood gets. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm the hulk. I'm still trying to deal with everything that happened with Jonathan and the trail. Skipping the whole roommate thing and trying to get along with a bunch of girls that probably won't even like me would be so much better for me." Clary explained and her mom took a breath.

"Living with a boy can cause so many temptations Clary." Jocelyn said and before Clary could speak Jace started talking.

"Jocelyn, I promise you I would never do this just so Clary and I could do whatever we wanted too." Jace said and Clary could tell he got her moms attention. "I can't picture spending four years apart while attending college. I know they are close, but being with Clary is the first thing that's ever felt right in my life." Clary smiled as Jace pulled her into his side. "I mean, if we did end up staying at our own colleges I guarantee we would actually just make a schedule and spend every night together regardless."

"This relationship is still so new." Jocelyn said.

"Mom, I get you're worried, but Jace and I haven't had sex." Clary said flat out and Jocelyn's eyes widened. "We aren't going to have sex until I'm ready. So you really don't have to worry about that."

"That's only one reason why I'm worried." Jocelyn said.

"What are the other reasons?" Clary asked.

"For one, you both are 18. That's so young. I get that you two don't want to be apart but living together is totally different. I also don't want this to distract you. Living together will be new and fun and you aren't going to want to do anything but cuddle on the couch, and watch movies together. Your work will suffer." Jocelyn said.

"Mom, I think you're completely forgetting how incredibly hard school is going to be for the both of us. Jace is going to Juilliard, he can't slack off there, and I want to be an artist, I'm going to have to work my ass off to make in that industry." Clary said and her mother took a seat at the kitchen table. Jace and Clary joined her and Clary reached over and took Jocelyn's hands in hers. "Mom, you know me, and you know how dedicated I am to my art, and trust me, if you ever get the chance to hear Jace play, you will see how dedicated he is to the piano. We both want to enter really cut throat careers and we'll have to be completely focused in school to get there."

"I'm just worried Clary." Jocelyn said.

"I know you are, but I promise, we'll talk all the time, I'll send you my grades to show you that I'm dedicated. You can have dinner with us once a week, Maryse and Robert can come too. I want this mom, and I have never asked you for anything before. Hell, I'm begging mom. Please let us do this." Clary said and Jocelyn took a deep breath.

"Promise you'll take care of her Jace?" She finally said.

"You have my word Jocelyn. Trust me, my number one priority is always Clary, and how safe she feels, and how loved she feels. Getting a place together isn't some rebellious thing we want to do to piss our parents off. We want it because we love each other and we want to be able to come home to each other and being apart would honestly kill me."

"Mom, we're ready for this. We aren't some high school couple that's going to break up after we graduate. We want to be together, and we want to be there for each other no matter what and living together just makes sense for us." Clary said and Jocelyn hung her head. After a few minutes she looked up and locked eyes with Jace and Clary.

"And Maryse and Robert are okay with this?" She asked.

"Yea. Maryse is really excited to go apartment shopping. They are actually going up to Connecticut this weekend to find an apartment for my sister and her boyfriend." Jace said and Jocelyn looked at him.

"Izzy and Simon mom." Clary clarified but it seemed to only confuse her more.

"Where are they going to school?" Jocelyn asked.

"Yale." Jace said.

"And Simon's mom is okay with that?" Jocelyn asked Clary.

"Yea. She's glad that Simon won't be alone up there, and she loves Izzy. She thinks she's like the best thing that's ever happened to Simon." Clary laughed and Jocelyn smiled.

"Okay, you two can do it, but I want to come search for places with you, and I am holding you two to that dinner once a week thing." Jocelyn said and Clary got up and hugged her mom.

"Thank you mom, and we'll let you know when we go out and look." Clary said and Jocelyn smiled.

"You're growing up so fast." Jocelyn said as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"But I will always be your little girl mom. No matter what stage of life I am in." Clary said and he mom hugged her again. When they pulled apart Jocelyn looked at her and Jace and smiled.

"I have to get to work, but I'll see you two later. Jace, you staying for dinner?" Jocelyn asked.

"I'd love to." Jace said and Jocelyn smiled. When she left Jace and Clary took a seat on the couch and Jace turned on the TV. After a few minutes Jace smiled to himself. "Can you believe this is happening? In a couple months we're graduating and we will be living together."

"I know, but I can't wait." Clary said and Jace smiled. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. They both couldn't believe this was actually happening but they didn't want to dwell on what could have happened. They couldn't wait to search for a place to live and start that new chapter of their lives together.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Simon and Izzy had a tour at Yale today while Maryse and Robert scoped out places to live close to campus but also acceptable to Maryse and Robert's standards. Simon and Izzy walked into the admissions office and talked to the receptionist. A couple minutes later a guy walked out and started eyeing Izzy up and Simon didn't like it at all. When they started the tour Simon grabbed Izzy's hand and she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

They started with the Fashion department and Simon could see how incredibly awestruck Izzy was with the department. She had the biggest smile on her face and it made Simon happy to see her so happy. Simon doubted that Izzy was even listening to the tour guide. She was looking at everything and admiring all the artwork and it made Simon smile more than anything.

When they got to the engineering department Izzy could see how excited Simon was. She knew this was what he wanted to do and seeing where he was going to be spending the next four years made Izzy really happy. She knew they would both be extremely busy but being able to see what he could be doing one day was really cool. When the tour was finally over both Izzy and Simon were really happy that they were able to attend this university and the fact that they were going to be living together made it even better.

"So, I hope you both are eager to start here in the fall. I wouldn't want to be at any other school." He said and Izzy and Simon both smiled. "Maybe when you start we can get together." He looked directly at Izzy and she was shocked.

"You do realize that I'm with my boyfriend right now." Izzy said. "You literally have seen us hold hands, and I can't even tell you how many times I've kissed him today."

"So?" He said and Izzy laughed but Simon knew that it wasn't a good sign.

"You think because you go here that you have the right to speak to girls anyway you want? You think going to Yale gives you extra brownie points with the ladies?"

"I mean, most girls find it impressive." He said and Izzy started getting angrier.

"I guess it doesn't work on the ladies here at Yale. Being a Yale student doesn't really impress other Yale students." Izzy said and he laughed.

"You're the first hot girl to come around here in a while. Plus, everyone knows you're only with this nerd because he'll probably make a lot of money one day." He said and Simon knew that pissed Izzy off. He grabbed her hand a little tighter so she wouldn't lunge at him.

"You know nothing about our relationship." Izzy nearly yelled at him. "He is the best guy I've ever known and the first guy that has ever truly cared about me. I don't care how incredibly hot guys can be, if you are a total douche who doesn't care about women, you are automatically one of the most unattractive guys I've ever seen." Izzy said and she pulled Simon towards the door. She just wanted to get out of there. But before she left she turned around. "Plus, I don't know about you, but my nerd is one of the sexiest guys I've ever seen." She said and they left. When they got far enough away from the building they stopped walking.

"Are you okay Iz?" Simon asked.

"Yea, he just pissed me off." Izzy said and Simon pulled her into him.

"I could tell, but you never have to see him again, so you're good." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"You know I'm not with you because you could potentially be rich one day right?" Izzy asked. "I love you, and I want to be with you because you make me happy and you make me feel loved and worthy."

"I know Izzy. I love you too, and no rich douche can try and convince me that our relationship is that shallow. Plus you don't need me for the money I could potentially get. You're already rich." Simon said and Izzy laughed. Simon pulled her into a kiss and Izzy felt all that butterfly feeling like she did every time. A car pulled up next to them and Maryse rolled the window down.

"We found an amazing place. It's like 5 minutes away and it's a cute two-bedroom place. We figured the second bedroom could be turned into your fashion studio or something. Get in, we'll go see it again. We already told them we were interested. Apparently it was going fast, and they loved our offer." Maryse said and Simon and Izzy laughed and got in the car.

When they got to the apartment building Simon was in awe at how impressive it was. He could tell this place was expensive to live in, but he should have know that the Lightwoods would want the very best. They got to the apartment and opened the door and he was even more impressed. The place was beautiful and looked like it had never been lived in.

"They just built this place, so the apartments are brand new. It's not very pricey but if you need anything fixed don't be afraid to do whatever you need too to get it done Isabelle." Maryse said and Izzy nodded. Simon started to walk around and look at the place, and he was so lost in his own head that Izzy had to grab his arm to break him out of his mind.

"Are you okay Simon?" Izzy asked.

"This place is insane." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"Well, Yale is in a pretty prestigious part of Connecticut." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"I don't think I can afford this place Izzy." Simon said and she smiled at him.

"Of course you can't. We never expected you to chip in. My parents bought this place. Once we graduate we can sell it if we want to move or we can stay."

"Your parents bought this place?" Simon asked.

"Of course. Renting is a waste of money in my parents opinion. They would rather buy and deal with selling it when need be." Izzy explained and Simon nodded. "Come on, let's go check out our room." Izzy said and Simon smiled as she dragged him into the biggest room. Simon was shocked that her parents bought this place for them, but I guess he really shouldn't be. They had the money to do it, and Simon wasn't complaining. He got to live here with his girlfriend and go to his dream school. Life for Simon and Izzy could only go up from here, and they were both excited to start living it.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Magnus was sitting in his fashion class working on his latest sketch when the professor dropped a letter in front of him. Magnus grabbed the letter and looked up at his professor confused. She smiled and took a seat next to him.

"Your last mini collection got me incredibly inspired and my friend told me about a portion of New York Fashion Week that is going to be dedicated to up and coming designers. I sent the pictures of your mini collection and she absolutely loved them." She said and Magnus's heart started racing. "This letter is filled with al the details and your tickets."

"I'm going to be showcasing my work at New York Fashion Week?" Magnus finally said and his professor laughed.

"Yes. Of course it wouldn't be that collection, a different one that goes along wit the theme of Fashion Week." She said and Magnus looked at the envelope that was in his hands scared to open it.

"I don't even know what to say. Thank you so much for this opportunity." Magnus said and his professor stood up.

"It was my pleasure Magnus. You're extremely talented, and you deserve this shot." She said and walked away. Magnus was still stunned. He didn't know what to do, but he knew that he wanted to tell Alec right away.

When class was over Magnus made a beeline for his apartment knowing that Alec would be there. It felt like it took forever to get back to his apartment and when he finally got there and he opened the door Alec was nowhere to be found. He looked in the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen but with no luck he couldn't find Alec anywhere. Magnus sat down on the couch frustrated that the only person he wanted to tell was nowhere to be found. Magnus was just about to call him when the front door opened and in walked Alec.

"Where were you?" Magnus asked and surprised Alec.

"I wanted to make dinner, but we were out of some ingredients so I went to the store." He said and Magnus nodded. He couldn't be mad at him after that. He stood up and walked over and helped him put the groceries in the kitchen before he handed him the letter. "What's this?"

"My professor gave that to me. She said that this years New York Fashion Week is having a portion dedicated to up and coming designers, and I'm one of them." Magnus said and Alec nearly dropped the paper he was holding.

"Magnus, that's amazing." Alec said as he walked over and kissed him. "This is a great opportunity."

"I know, I was stunned. She said that I need to work on a whole new mini collection, which that letter specifies, but I get to show my work at New York Fashion Week."

"Magnus, I am so proud of you." Alec said and Magnus smiled. "What is the theme of New York Fashion Week?" Alec asked.

"I don't know. I haven't even opened that letter." Magnus confessed.

"Well, why not?" Alec asked and Magnus shrugged.

"It didn't cross my mind. All I wanted to do was tell you." He said and Alec grabbed his hand and led him to the couch. They sat down and he handed the letter to Magnus and smiled.

"Open it." Alec said and Magnus smiled and started opening the letter. He read through it and looked up at Alec.

"The theme is Winter, I guess they weren't going to be make it specific, and I can work with Winter. I'm one of 4 people who got this opportunity and the fashion show takes place in the end of summer. Weird that winter would be the theme but I'm not complaining."

"Magnus, this is amazing." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"I need to start working on my sketches. I have so much work to do." Magnus said and Alec laughed.

"How many outfits do you need to make?" Alec asked.

"Well, it's a mini collection, so 5 outfits. But depending on how I want my collection to look, these outfits might get wild." Magnus said and Alec just smiled at how excited he was.

"I am so proud of you." Alec said again and Magnus walked over to him and gave him a kiss.

"I get three tickets. Would you like to be my date?" Magnus asked and Alec smiled.

"I would love too." Alec answered and that made Magnus even happier. "What are you going to do with the other three tickets?"

"I figured I'd offer them to your sister and her boyfriend. I know she's going for fashion and this would be an excellent opportunity for her. Not many fashion students get to see a fashion show."

"That's really nice of you." Alec said and Magnus smiled. They were quiet for a minute before Magnus remembered something.

"What were you going to make for dinner?" He asked and Alec laughed.

"I was going to make lasagna." Alec said and this coughed Magnus to smile even more.

"You are truly the best Alexander." Magnus said as Alec smiled at walked into the kitchen. And invitation to New York Fashion Week, and his favorite dinner all in one day? Yup, today was a good day indeed for Magnus.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Mom, Jace and Maryse are here, we need to go." Clary said as she waited for her mom to leave her room. They were apartment hunting today and Clary was super excited.

"I'm coming Clary, just hold your horses." Jocelyn said and Clary rolled her eyes. When they finally did leave their apartment and made it to the car Clary hoped in the back and greeted Jace with a kiss and than turned towards Maryse.

"Hi Maryse, how was Connecticut?" Clary asked.

"It was simply wonderful. We bought Isabelle and Simon a beautiful apartment and Isabelle and I can't wait to start decorating it." She said and Clary smiled.

"Wait, you bought them a place?" Jocelyn asked.

"Of course. Renting is a waist of money, and they are going to be using it for four years, so why worry about when rent is due." Maryse explained and Jocelyn nodded along. "I have a list of very nice gated apartment communities that we should look at first. Right in the middle for both of you so the commute would only be 10 minutes."

"Wait a minute, gated communities? Isn't that a little much?" Jocelyn asked. Clary didn't exactly tell her that the how wealthy the Lightwoods were and it never occurred to her that it could come up.

"I want my son to be in the safest place possible. Gated communities are the way to go." Maryse said and Jocelyn decided not to question her anymore.

Jace and Clary were caught up in their own conversation when they pulled up to the first apartment and to say Clary was awestruck would be an understatement. This place looked like royalty was supposed to stay here, not two college students. When they all got out of the car Jace grabbed Clary's hand and they started walking towards the apartment. It was opened so Jace walked right in and Clary gasped at the sight. Everything was so regal. Hardwoods floors throughout, a beautiful fully stocked kitchen, and man did Clary want to cook it in right now. The living room was bigger than her own, and there was even a cute little dining room that they wouldn't use unless necessary but was nice to have anyway.

Jace and Clary walked through the house to discover what it had in store for them. There were two bedrooms and a nice little den. The bigger bedroom had a bathroom attached and when Clary walked in she just wanted to hop in the shower and feel the pressure. When they returned to the living room Clary looked at her mom and could tell she was in complete awe as well.

"Well, what do you think?" Maryse asked. Jace and Clary looked at each other and smiled.

"It's amazing Maryse. I mean, it has everything we could ever need, and more." Clary said and Maryse smiled.

"I thought it would be. This is the nicer of the places that I wanted you to look at. I figured we'd start with the best and if you liked it, there was no need to look at the others." Maryse said.

"It's beautiful, and I could so imagine living here." Clary said and Jace pulled her into his side.

"Honestly Maryse, it's more than I could have imagined." Jace said.

"Great! I'll go talk to the man selling." Maryse said.

"Hold on, you two don't want to look at any other places?" Jocelyn asked and Clary shook her head.

"Why do we need to? This place has everything we need, and want." Clary said.

"What about a room for your studio?" Jocelyn asked.

"This place has two bedrooms. The second one can be my studio, plus there is a small den that Jace can put a piano in and practice. This place doesn't have a strike against it mom." Clary said.

"But it's the first place." Jocelyn said.

"But we love it." Jace said and Jocelyn sighed. "Jocelyn, do you not like it?"

"It's not that. It's beautiful. I mean, I wish I was able to live in a place this nice. It's just, this is happening so fast. I was hoping that it would take you a couple weeks to find a place." Jocelyn said and Clary walked over and grabbed her hands.

"I'm not moving out tomorrow mom. We aren't moving in until August. We still need to buy furniture and furnish this whole entire house." Clary said and Jocelyn smiled.

"You're growing up so fast, I wish you were 4 again and sitting on my lap helping me paint." Jocelyn said and Clary gave her mom a hug.

"I had to grow up eventually." Clary said and Jocelyn nodded and smiled. "Come on mom, lets explore." Clary said and she grabbed her moms hand and lead her around.

Jace stayed in the living room and when they rounded the corner Maryse brought Jace into a hug and than smiled at him.

"So, this is the place?" Maryse asked.

"I think so. It's perfect, and Clary really seems to love it." Jace said and Maryse nodded.

"You really love her don't you?" Maryse asked and Jace smiled.

"I really do." Jace said.

"I'm so happy you, Isabelle and Alexander are all in good and serious relationships. I think it's been good for all of you considering what happened." Maryse said and Jace nodded.

"I don't know what I'd do without her." Jace said and than Clary and Jocelyn walked back into the room and Jocelyn had a smiled that matched Clary's. "So, is that a yes from you Jocelyn?"

"This place is perfect." Jocelyn said and Clary jumped up and down and started clapping. She was so excited.

"Wonderful, I'll talk to the man, and we'll sign the paperwork, and this apartment will be all yours." She said and her and Jocelyn both walked out leaving Jace and Clary.

"This is going to be our house." Clary said and Jace smiled. "Like, I get to come home to you every night, and sleep in the same bed with you, cook dinner for you, cuddle on the couch with you. It's going to be amazing."

"Nothing has every sounded so perfect to me in my life." Jace said as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. "I love you."

"I love you too." Clary said and they kept kissing until they heard the door open. Maryse and Jocelyn walked back in and had the biggest smiles on their faces.

"Okay, this place is all yours. These are your keys, and this is the password to enter the community. You can literally move in whenever so we can spend the whole summer decorating." Maryse said and Jace laughed.

"How are you possibly going to decorate this house, plus Izzy's?" Jace asked.

"Jocelyn and I talked about that. While I'm up helping Izzy, she'll be here helping you." Maryse said and Clary and Jace nodded.

"Sounds like a plan." Clary said and Maryse and Jocelyn brought Jace and Clary into a group hug. Jace and Clary thought it was a little much considering they weren't moving out yet, but they knew this was also heard for their parents so they let them have their moment, because they knew that in the next four years they were going to be having plenty of moments of their own in their new house.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

When Izzy and Simon got back to school they were both super excited to graduate and start their lives together in Connecticut. They were sitting in the caf eating lunch like they always do and every time Izzy looked at Simon she couldn't help the butterflies that filled her stomach. She had no idea why she completely ignored him before, but having him in her life, especially now that he's a big part of it, she doesn't know what she'd do without him. Izzy hadn't realized she was staring until she heard Simon laugh.

"You okay Iz? You zoned out on me there." Simon said and Izzy smiled at him and leaned over and gave him a kiss.

"I'm just thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life." Izzy said and Simon smiled and took her hand in his. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"It was my pleasure. I knew the first time I sat down with you that I wasn't going to give up that easily." Simon said and Izzy smiled. They were silent for a minute before something popped into Izzy's head.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Alec texted me earlier today and said that he wants to have dinner with us this week." Izzy said.

"Both of us?" Simon asked and Izzy nodded.

"Yea, apparently they have some news for us." Izzy said and Simon nodded.

"Okay, just tell me the night, and I'll be there." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"You're the best." Izzy said and Simon laughed. A few minutes later Jace and Clary joined them and Izzy was happy to see them together and happy. She didn't realize how unhappy she was before she had Simon and Clary in her life. They were truly the best friends that she could be happier that everything worked out.

"How did house hunting go?" Izzy asked after Clary after a moment.

"Perfect. Your mom really knows how to pick them." Clary said and Izzy laughed.

"I know. She picked our apartment out too, and it was exactly what we wanted." Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"You excited to be moving to Connecticut?" Jace asked.

"You have no idea. I can't wait to be out of this town." Izzy said and Jace nodded in understanding. "How did your mom take the news Clary?"

"It took some convincing but she was finally on board. I think she was just too caught up on the fact that we would be extremely tempted to partake in naughty extra curricular activities that it clouded her judgment." Clary said and everyone laughed.

"Surprisingly that never crossed my moms mind, and you know how religious she can be." Simon said.

"Your mom has always been super cool though, and she loves Izzy. She probably knows that you and Izzy wouldn't put yourself in that kind of situation." Clary said and Simon and Izzy smiled and nodded.

"But she thinks you two will?" Izzy asked Clary and Jace.

"My mom has always been super protective of me, especially after everything went down with my brother." Clary said and Simon and Izzy both looked at her with confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Izzy asked.

"Shit. I forgot you two didn't know." Clary said and she looked at Jace. Jace put his hand on her back and smiled at her encouragingly. "My brother wasn't the nicest person when it came to me, and he is currently in jail because of certain sexual advances her did to me."

"You're not saying he…"Izzy said but she didn't need to finish because Clary nodded her head in conformation. "Oh my god."

"Yea, he is currently rotting in prison for the rest of his life." Clary continued. Izzy and Simon both reached across the table and grabbed one of Clary's hands and she smiled at them.

The rest of lunch went by without talk of the truth that Clary had told them. Izzy could tell that it impacted Clary a lot more than she let on because Jace had his hand on her back rubbing circles on for the rest of lunch. Izzy couldn't even imagine going through something like that, but she glad that Clary had someone like Jace to help her through. He was always really good at understanding people, and just seeing how much Jace helped her was nice.

Izzy and Simon walked out of school at the end of the day hand in hand. It was still weird that people still stared at them. It had been months since they got together yet people still couldn't believe that they were together. Izzy couldn't care less though. She was happy with Simon and whatever these people thought about her didn't matter to her. Once school was over she would be living with her boyfriend in Connecticut and going to school for something she was truly passionate about and in the beginning of the school year she wouldn't have been able to say that she was truly happy for the future like she was now.

They got in Simon's car and headed towards his house. His mom and Rebecca were out and they knew they couldn't be alone at her house. When they finally reached his house they walked in and Izzy took a seat on the couch while Simon went into the kitchen to get them something to drink. When he came back out he took a seat next to her Izzy looked at him and smiled.

"Did you ever think we'd be at this point?" Izzy asked and Simon laughed.

"Not in my wildest dreams." Simon answered and Izzy smiled. "You were so far out of my league that I was prepared to be your friend forever."

"You had to of thought you had a small chance though. I mean, even if it was tiny." Izzy said.

"I mean, I had hoped it would happen, but I was also happy to be your friend. You're an amazing person Iz, and I'm lucky to have you in my life. And I would have been happy if you were in my life as just a friend." Simon said and Izzy smiled and than leaned up and kissed Simon on the lips.

"I love you." Izzy simply said and Simon smiled and put a loose hair behind Izzy's ear.

"I love you too." Simon said and Izzy smiled. She leaned into his side and Simon turned the TV on. Everything was perfect for Izzy, and she couldn't imagine this amazing feeling ever going away.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Izzy and Simon should be here soon." Alec said as Magnus and him took a seat at the restaurant.

"How long has it been since you've seen your sister?" Magnus asked Alec. He could sense some nervousness in his voice.

"I haven't seen her since Max's funeral." Alec admitted and Magnus put his hand on Alec's thigh.

"She's your sister, stop being so nervous." Magnus said and Alec took a deep breath and calmed down. "Just in time." Magnus said and they looked up and Izzy and Simon were making their way to the table. Alec stood up and hugged Izzy and than they took a seat. They ordered their food and had light conversation until Magnus cleared his throat. "There was a reason I wanted to have this dinner tonight."

"I was wondering what the hidden reason was." Izzy said and everyone laughed.

"As you know, I'm a fashion major and it is my dream to be a designer, and I was told that it's also your dream to be a designer as well Izzy." Magnus said and Izzy nodded enthusiastically. "My design professor went behind my back and gave one of my mini collection to her friend who just so happens to know people in the fashion world, and I was invited to showcase a mini collection at this years New York Fashion Week."

"Oh my god, that's amazing. Take a million pictures for me1" Izzy practically yelled, and Alec and Magnus laughed.

"I was actually hoping that you two would be so kind and take the two extra tickets off my hands." Magnus said and Izzy's jaw dropped and her eyes popped out of her head.

"You're giving me tickets to New York Fashion Week?" Izzy said a little dumbfounded and Magnus nodded and handed over an envelope.

"I got three, and Alexander has so graciously accepted my offer to be my date, and I have no need for two extra tickets, and I know how great of an opportunity to see fashion week."

"Thank you so much Magnus. This literally means the world to me." Izzy got up and Magnus followed her lead and gave her the biggest hug. "Simon, we get to go to fashion week. Oh my god, this is so great!" She said and Simon smiled and took the envelope from Izzy to put it in a safe place. "Seriously, thank you so much Magnus, this is like a dream of mine and the fact that I get to go and experience it before college even starts is more amazing than I could have even hoped for.

"The pleasure is all mine. I have a feeling it is going to be extremely chaotic, and I might not get a chance to spend a lot of time with Alexander and he will feel a whole like better if you're with him." Magnus explained and Alec smiled and so did Izzy and Simon.

The rest of the night went by wonderfully. Izzy couldn't get the dopey smile off her face, but Alec was glad to see his sister so incredibly happy. When they were finished they walked out and when they got to Simon's car they lingered. Alec and Magnus both gave Izzy a hug goodbye and a handshake to Simon. When they got into the car Alec and Magnus watched them drive away. Alec smiled at looked at Magnus and pressed his lips to Magnus's cheek. Magnus turned and smiled back at Alec.

"I love you." Alec said and Magnus felt his heart leap out of his chest. He never expected Alec to be the first one to say it, but seeing how happy Alec looked recently and seeing him finally express his feelings was all Magnus ever wanted from him.

"I love you too darling. Let's go home." Magnus said as he took Alec's hand in his. They made their way back to Magnus's apartment and Alec had felt lighter than he ever has before. Him and Magnus were at a spot in their relationship where everything was pure bliss. There weren't any secrets, and they could openly express themselves in front of his family, and in public. It had been a tough year for Alec, and seeing how great everything was turning out made him optimistic for the future.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Clary and Jace were anxiously waiting for the ceremony to start. They didn't really care about high school anymore. They were both ready for college and the new challenges and memories that they would be given. Clary was ready to start decorating their new house and Jace was ready to be able to fall asleep and wake up next to Clary every night and morning. It was going to be amazing, and this was just the start of their future together and nothing in the world sounded better than spending the rest of his life with Clary. They were meant to be together, and he didn't even know what he would be doing right now without her.

When Jace got to the school he immediately started looking for Clary. Personally he just wanted to skip the whole ceremony and just get his diploma in the mail over the summer but Maryse wanted Izzy and Jace there so she could take a million and 3 pictures, but Clary also wanted him there so Jace figured it couldn't be that bad. When he finally spotted Clary he got the biggest smile on his face and made his way over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and he felt her laugh. She turned around and pressed her lips to his.

"Hi." She said when they broke apart.

"Well, I'm here." He said and she laughed.

"It's your high school graduation Jace, I don't know why you wouldn't want to come." She said and Jace grabbed her hand and they started making their way into the school.

"I've already mentally moved on from high school. All I can think about is moving into our apartment and starting at Juilliard." He said and Clary nodded.

"I know, all I have been thinking about is furniture, bedding, and kitchen appliances." She said and Jace laughed. "Seriously, your mother knows what she wants and won't go down without a fight. She actually got into an argument with a man in the furniture store last weekend because she thought the sofa was overpriced."

"That doesn't surprise me. Maryse has always known what everything is worth even when the people who are selling it don't know." Jace explained which caused Clary to laugh.

"I'll just be happy when its completely decorated and we can move in without any care in the world." Clary said and Jace leaned down and pressed his lips to her temple.

When they got into the school they were all seating in the auditorium and waited for the ceremony to start. Thankfully the school wasn't concerned about where students sat so Jace and Clary could sit next to each other and completely block out everything that didn't matter. When it finally reached the end Jace was thrilled that all he needed to do was get his diploma and he was officially done with high school. When the whole ceremony was over Jace and Clary made their way out into the parking lot to meet their parents. Maryse pulled Jace and Izzy into a hug and squeezed them incredibly tight.

"I am so proud of both of you, well all four of you, but really proud of you two." Maryse said and everyone smiled.

"I'm just glad that's over. That ceremony was incredibly boring." Jace said and everyone laughed.

"It didn't kill you Jace, and it was out last time in that high school, appreciate the ending of this chapter of your life." Clary said and he pulled her into a hug.

"I do appreciate the ending of this chapter. High school gave me a lot of good things, especially you." Jace said to Clary, which caused her to blush.

"Well, I think we should all go out to dinner to celebrate." Maryse said and everyone nodded in agreement. They all reached the restaurant and talked and laughed and just had a great time. Jace couldn't stop looking at Clary the whole night though. He couldn't believe that he was looking at his future. He still couldn't believe it took him three years of high school to find her, but he was grateful for that detention that brought them together.

When the night was over Jace had asked Clary to meet him at the park that was in the middle of their houses. Clary obviously agreed wanting to spend more time alone with Jace. She knew that once they started college they were going to be spending a lot of time together alone, but still, this was the start of their future together and it made Clary incredibly happy that their future looked so incredibly bright.

It was almost 8 and Clary was getting ready to meet Jace at the playground. She had no idea why she was nervous. Her and Jace had been together for a while, and being around him shouldn't make her insides flip, but they always did. He was constantly giving her butterflies, and making her blush like crazy. When she reached the playground she noticed that Jace was already there. She made her way over to him and sat down next to him on the bench. When he realized she was there he smiled and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Why did you want to meet me here?" Clary asked after a minute.

"We were surrounded by family all day, I just wanted a little alone time." Jace said and Clary nodded and leaned into his side.

"Can you believe we made it?" Clary asked after a minute.

"We haven't made it until we're standing at the alter reciting our vows." Jace said which caught Clary off guard and she sat up and faced him.

"Jace." Clary said but Jace cut her off.

"I'm not purposing. Trust me, that comes after a couple years, but I want you to know that that's where I see our relationship going. I can see us spending the rest of our lives together, and I want you to have something that shows you that I'm serious." Jace said as he pulled out a box. He handed it to Clary and when she opened it there was a ring inside. "I love you Clary, and I know we've only been together for 4 months, but I know deep down that we're meant to be."

"This is the most beautiful ring I've ever seen." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"When I went to go pick it out I wanted something that reminded me of you, so I picked an emerald, I think it matches your eyes perfectly. You are my future Clary. I know that in my soul. This is a promise that one day I will make you my wife, and we will have an amazing future together because everything with you is amazing."

"I love it, and I love you and I can't wait for our future together either." Clary said. She slipped the ring on her finger and it fit perfectly. She looked up at Jace and smiled. She leaned over and pressed her lips to his. "This is the sweetest thing you've ever done."

"Just wait for the future baby. I have more up my sleeve." Jace said with a smirk and Clary smiled. She leaned into his again and Jace pulled her close. They stayed cuddled on that bench for awhile just looking at the stars. Both Jace and Clary had never imagined the future being very optimistic. They both were stuck at a point in their lives that was dark and full of false hope, but together they saw nothing but rainbows and sunshine. Clary was the light in Jace's life, and Jace was the light in hers. They knew that it was only going to get better for them. They knew they were young, but they were so incredibly sure of the future that it didn't matter.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Today was the day that Izzy and Simon were moving into their new place and Simon was slightly freaking out. He knew for a fact that this was going to be an amazing adventure but being away from home kinda scared him a little bit. Simon and Izzy were driving up separate from Maryse and Simon's mom. They both needed their cars plus they needed a car to get all their stuff up, so here they were with three cars heading up to Connecticut. Izzy knew Simon was nervous about starting school, and so was she. Leaving her home was a terrifying thing but having Simon by her side while she transitioned from high school to college was exactly what she needed.

After the long drive they finally made it to their apartment and everyone got out of the car. Izzy wasn't moving, but just looking at her home for the next four years. Simon walked up beside her and put his arm around her. She looked to her left and smiled at him and he smiled back.

"You ready?" Simon asked and Izzy nodded.

"More than anything." She replied and they made their way into their new home. Izzy and Maryse had spent all their time decorating this place all summer and Izzy was really proud of her work. Simon couldn't care less what the place looked like, if Izzy was happy, he was happy. They unloaded everything that was still missing from the apartment and put it in it's designated area.

After about 5 hours of getting everything ready and organized Izzy and Simon were finally moved in and they were both really proud of themselves for getting to this point. Izzy had overcome a lot to get here, and having Simon by her side through it all made her even more excited to continue on this journey. Maryse and Simon's mom made their way over to their kids and pulled them into a hug.

"Lunch tomorrow?" Maryse asked and Simon and Izzy nodded. Simon looked at his mom and her eyes were welling up with tears.

"We'll talk all the time mom." Simon assured her and that's when the tears spilled out of her eyes.

"I'm gonna miss you Simon." She said and Simon pulled her into another hug. He knew this was hard for her, but he also knew that this is what he wanted in life, and deep down his mom knew he would be okay, but this was her baby, and letting go was hard.

"I'm gonna miss you too mom, but Izzy and I will be home for Christmas and Hanukah, and than you can come up here and visit in the summer. I promise mom." Simon's mom nodded and Maryse looked at Izzy and Simon and couldn't help but feel proud of how far Izzy had come. She knew Izzy was a wild child before she met Simon, and she was grateful that Simon grounded her.

"Alright, we're going to go head to the hotel. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted." Maryse said and Simon's mom nodded in agreement. They gave their parents one last hug before they make their way out to the car. Simon and Izzy watched as their mothers left and they headed back into the apartment. When they got inside they both kind of just stood there looking around before Izzy spoke.

"Can you believe we live here?" Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"I still can't believe you're my girlfriend let alone the fact that we live together now." Simon said and Izzy laughed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he rested his hands on her waist.

"I love you." Izzy said and Simon smiled as he pecked her lips.

"I love you too." Simon said and Izzy smiled. "So, what is the first thing you want to do in our new home?"

"I could think of a few things." Izzy said suggestively which caught Simon by surprise. They hadn't gotten that far in their relationship. Things have gotten heated before but never that far and to be honest, Simon was terrified for their relationship got to that point. He had no idea what he was doing in that department, and Izzy was clearly experienced and he didn't want to disappoint her. Izzy could tell that she caught Simon off guard with how quiet he was being. "Hey, are you okay?" She finally asked after a moment.

"I'm fine." Simon said but Izzy didn't believe him.

"What's wrong?" Izzy asked and Simon sighed.

"I know we've been together for a little while, and we're probably moving at a snail's pace in your eyes, but I just I don't know what I'm doing." Simon admitted and Izzy smiled.

"I don't mind how fast or slow our relationship progresses Simon." Izzy said and Simon gave her a small smile. "You're the first guy who has ever genuinely cared about me. You put me first all the time, you protect me, you take care of me, and you make me happy. This might surprise you, but this is my first real relationship." Izzy said and Simon laughed. "I want to do this relationship right, and if that means us working our way up to that, than I'm all for waiting and doing this right."

"Honestly Iz, you are so beautiful I have to control myself sometimes when we're together because I just can't take my eyes off you, but getting that intimate is really scary for me. I don't have any experience with girls. I mean, you're the first girlfriend I've ever had, and that's nerve wracking enough, and on top of it you're hot, and I just don't want to disappoint you."

"Simon, you could never disappoint me." Izzy said. "I know that I've been around the block a time or two, but that doesn't mean I'm all that experienced either. I don't really know how much you want to know, but every experience I've ever had has been quick. I've never wasted time with sex because it meant nothing to me, but with you I know it'll be amazing." She said and Simon smiled. "We'll get there Simon, but I don't mind taking things slow."

"I do love you Iz. So much." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"I love you too." Izzy said and Simon gave her a sweet kiss. "So, what do you want to do?"

"How about we order some food, and watch a movie?" Simon suggested and Izzy smiled brightly.

"I think that's a perfect way to break in our new home." Izzy said and Simon smiled. Simon went to order some food while Izzy got the living room ready. When the food arrived, Izzy and Simon cuddled on the couch and ate Chinese and watched Star Wars. Izzy couldn't stop sneaking glances at Simon. She was incredibly happy that her life had turned around for the better. She was completely in love with Simon, they were living together and starting school soon. Everything couldn't be more perfect, and she was excited for her future with Simon.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Magnus was still coming off his high from New York Fashion Week. The whole event had been everything Magnus could ever hope for and more. His collection was a huge hit, everyone loved it, and he even won a small prize for being the best new up and coming designer. Magnus was awestruck at the praise that he had received since that week. It seemed like Magnus's phone was ringing twenty four seven with designers asking what he planned to do after college. Honestly Magnus was overwhelmed but this was his dream, and it was coming true.

Alec couldn't be more proud of Magnus. His collection was spectacular but everything about Magnus was spectacular to Alec. New York Fashion Week was a complete drainer for Alec. Magnus had dragged him to ever party, and he attended every runway show to please Magnus, but he could see how much joy it brought him, and for that Alec didn't mind one bit. It was a normal Saturday and Magnus and Alec were supposed to be having a lazy day but Magnus had been on the phone all morning. It was annoying to Alec, but he also knew that this was the life that Magnus wanted to be in, and he had to accept that. Magnus came back into the room and plopped down on the couch letting out an aggravated sigh.

"Is everything okay?" Alec asked.

"They won't leave me alone." Magnus said and Alec immediately knew he was talking about the designers.

"Why don't you just stop answering their calls?" Alec suggested.

"I've tried. They just keep calling until I pick up." Magnus said and Alec started rubbing his back to calm him down.

"You had to of known this would happen. You were the talk of Fashion Week." Alec said.

"I know but I have one year left of college, I just want to be a college student." Magnus explained.

"Tell them that." Alec said.

"I feel rude saying that." Magnus said and his phone started ringing again. He groaned but before he could answer Alec grabbed the phone.

"Hello, Magnus Bane's phone, how may I help you?" Alec said. After a few silent moments Alec began talking again. "I'm sorry but Mr. Bane isn't interested in a contract at this moment in time. He still has a year left of college and wants to focus on being a full time student." Alec continued and Magnus's jaw dropped. "Of course I'll keep your number on file and I'll have Mr. Bane call you the moment he graduates." Alec said and he smiled. "You have a wonderful day as well." He said than hung up. When Alec looked back at Magnus he couldn't help but laugh. Magnus's jaw was practically hitting the floor. When Magnus finally came back to reality he was stunned.

"How did you do that?" Magnus asked.

"You just have to let them know that right now isn't the right time for you. They want you Magnus, not the other way around. You get to control this, which is insane because these are the top fashion designers in the world, but they are all pining after you. And when you're ready, you will give them a call and meet with them, and pick whichever company you decide is the right one for you."

"You handled that so well." Magnus said and Alec laughed. "Seriously, is it weird that I'm a little turned on with how well you handled that situation?" He asked and Alec laughed.

"Come on, it's supposed to be our lazy day. I'm turning off your phone and we're going to eat junk food and binge watch movies all day because you've been stressed and I miss you." Alec said and Magnus leaned over and gave him a kiss.

"I love you, and thank you for knowing exactly how to handle that." Magnus said and Alec smiled.

"I love you too. Now pick something to watch." Alec said and Magnus nodded. Alec went to order food while Magnus set the living room up. Despite how happy Alec was for Magnus being a hot commodity in the fashion world, he was also happy that he was able to turn that off for the day and just spend the day with Magnus like they normally would because lord knows once he graduates these days wouldn't come around often.


	16. Chapter 16

**Authors Note:**

 **So, Jace plays the piano in this chapter and the song that I was inspired by was "Kiss the Rain" by Yiruma and I just find it incredibly romantic and when you get to that part you should take a listen! :)**

 **Also, I realized today that I had an error in a previous chapter (7) that I went back and fixed but I thought it would be good to address the change here. When Magnus and Alec are talking about Max's death, Magnus says that he lost his father, but I meant to say that he lost his mother. His father makes an appearance in this chapter, and I can't believe it took my so long to figure out my mistake! So, I apologize for the mistake, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

"Jace, you're going to be late to class if you don't leave right now!" Clary yelled from the kitchen of her and Jace's apartment. Their freshman year of college started two months ago and for the love of god Clary didn't know why Jace chose a class at 8 am if he was always rushing to get to it. Jace came running into the kitchen a couple seconds later. "Honestly Jace, next semester pick a class at a decent hour."

"This was the only class available and I needed it." He snapped at her. Jace has never really been a morning person, and Clary knew that.

"Alright. No need to bite my head off." She said as she handed him his mug of coffee. "Just like you like it. See you at dinner." Clary said as she made her way back to the bedroom. Her classes didn't start until 10, so she was going to get some extra sleep in.

Jace watched Clary leave and instantly felt bad for snapping at her. Juilliard was kicking his ass and he was stressed to the max. He didn't realize how hard it was truly going to be and he was up late composing a piece for a symphony for his class and he really didn't want to get up this morning, and Clary had nothing to do with that, so snapping at her was pointless. As Jace made his way to his car he was reflecting on the past couple months. Living with Clary was everything he could ever imagine but it was also really hard. Living with someone exposed some things that you wouldn't normally see when you're just simply dating. It was an odd experience for Jace because this truly was his first real relationship. Sure he lived with Izzy, and he knew how girls could get but he didn't share a room with her, or anything like that. If Izzy was being moody he could simply walk away, not with Clary though. He was exposed to her mood swings when she got her period, or when she was so frustrated with a painting she'd lock herself in the bathroom and he could hear her sobs. He also had to deal with the nightmares she occasionally had about her brother, and her panic attacks, and her temper. Everything was escalated because they lived together. Jace didn't mind helping her through those hard times, but it didn't mean everything was always peachy between him and Clary. They'd fight, he'd sleep on the couch, but he knew they'd always forgive each other because that's how much they loved each other.

When Jace got to Juilliard he sat in his class and took a sip of his coffee. Clary was right, it was just exactly how he liked it and he couldn't help but smile. Despite all the obstacles they had to deal with as a couple who was living together, it truly was heaven for him to come home and be able to spend time with Clary. Despite only being in a relationship with her for a little less than a year he knew that this was what the future was going to be like. There would be fights, and tears, and aggression but there was always love, laughs, jokes, and happiness too and that outweighed the bad for sure. When class was over Jace was packing up his books when the professor took a seat next to him. Jace was a little worried that he was in trouble.

"You seemed off today Jace, is everything okay?" His professor asked.

"I snapped at my girlfriend this morning and I feel terrible about it." Jace said and his professor nodded.

"Does she go here as well?" He asked.

"No, she goes to NYU." Jace said.

"So I'm assuming you don't live here." He said and Jace laughed.

"No. We live in an apartment between the two schools." Jace said.

"You're a little young to be living with your girlfriend." He said and Jace nodded.

"We get that a lot, but it's what we both want, and despite the bumps in the road I'm glad we live together." Jace explained.

"The piece for the symphony you wrote was magnificent. It was so beautifully written and I could really tell that you put everything into it." His professor said and Jace was really proud.

"I wrote it for Clary, my girlfriend." Jace explained.

"Has she heard it yet?" His professor asked and Jace shook his head.

"I didn't want her to hear it until it was completely finished." Jace said.

"Honestly I think it could be published tomorrow it's that good." Jace looked up at his professor with wide eyes.

"You really think so?" He asked.

"Absolutely. Jace you're a talented guy. One of the best students I've had in a very long time. You have a promising future a head of you, but my advice is don't ware yourself out now. You're young, and putting all this stress on yourself now isn't healthy."

"I didn't realize it was going to be this hard. I mean I knew when I applied to Julliard that it was going to be challenging, but it's really kicking my ass." Jace said, and his professor laughed.

"I understand. This program is meant to push those who are in it to their absolute limits, but Jace, you are already far better than a freshman."

"Really?" He asked for the second time. He didn't really believe he was that good.

"Really kid. I was in the room when we were going over applicants and when I heard you play I was blown away. You play with so much passion, passion that no 18 year old should have. You tell a story with every song you play and I can even see it in your writing. You will go far in the music world, but you need to stop putting so much pressure on yourself."

"I just want to be the best. I want to prove to myself, and to my family, and to Clary that I can make something of myself. I want to show Clary that I will be able to give her everything she's ever wanted and I feel like I need to give 120% in order to give her that." Jace said and his professor put his hand on his shoulder.

"You're good Jace, and I know that's all pure talent, and I know you want to be the best. I really admire how hard you try, and how much effort you put into everything you do. I want you to take the rest of the week off. Get some sleep, and make up with your girlfriend and come back next week refreshed and ready to work." He said and Jace nodded. Jace felt better after the talk with his professor. He didn't realize how badly he needed conformation that he was actually succeeding until he heard the words. Now all he had to do was apologize to Clary. He hated making her upset, and he would do anything to make it up to her.

When he got home he was surprised to see Clary's car still in the driveway. When he walked inside she was on the couch curled under blanket with her sketchbook in her hands watching something on the TV. He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. He loved this part about living with her. He made his way over and took a seat on the coffee table in front of her.

"Why are you home?" He asked and she smiled.

"My class was cancelled. My professor went into labor." Clary explained and Jace laughed. "How was class?"

"Informational." Jace said and Clary looked at him with a confused look. "I'm really sorry about snapping on you this morning. It was totally uncalled for, and you didn't deserve it."

"I understand you're stressed Jace, trust me I'm stressed too, but snapping at each other like that isn't going to help." Clary said and Jace nodded his head in agreement.

"I know, and I felt awful all morning about that. You know I love you, and the last thing I ever want to do is make you upset." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I know, and I forgive you for this morning. I know you had a late night last night working on the piece of music." Clary said and Jace smiled and grabbed her hand.

"Have you heard any of it?" Jace asked and Clary laughed.

"You had Maryse sound proof that room. I can't hear a thing." Clary said and now it was Jace's turn to laugh.

"I knew I would have late nights and I didn't want to disturb you." Jace said and Clary smiled at him.

"I hardly think the soothing sound of a piano would make it hard for me to sleep." Clary said.

"No, but how many time I bang my fists into the keys might." Jace said and Clary put a finger under his chin and lifted his head so their eyes locked.

"You're an amazing musician Jace, and I wish you had the self confidence to realize that whatever you write, and whatever you play is going to be absolutely beautiful." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"I just want it to be perfect, and I feel like no matter what I do, it's never good enough." Jace admitted and Clary couldn't help but smile.

"Jace, you are the most confident person I've ever met. Put that into your work, and everyone will soon notice the talent you are." Clary said.

"My professor thinks my piece of music I wrote for this class is amazing." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I know you're currently working on writing a symphony, which in my opinion is a huge task for a freshman but you have it in you. I also know it's going to be amazing."

"You wanna hear the piece I wrote for class today?" Jace asked and Clary nodded. He reached his hand out and Clary grabbed it and he lead her to the piano room.

Jace sat on the bench and Clary sat next to him. He lifted the lid of the piano and took a deep breath. He started playing and Clary was in awe. She knew Jace was brilliant but she had never heard him play his own song before. She knew he was working his ass off to create this piece of music and hearing him play it now was something that completely overwhelmed her to the point of tears. She looked at Jace and he was completely lost in the music, and Clary couldn't blame him. Whatever he wrote was some of the most beautiful works of art she'd ever heard. When he was finished Jace looked over at Clary and saw the tears streaming down her face. He smiled and slowly wiped them away.

"That's was the most beautiful piece of music I've ever heard." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"I wrote it for you." Jace said and Clary was taken aback. She couldn't believe that he created that with her in his mind.

"Really?" Clary asked and Jace smiled and nodded.

"I love you." Jace said and Clary smiled and pressed her lips to his.

"I love you too." She said and Jace smiled. "You truly are so much more talented than I thought, I mean, I can't believe you wrote that."

"It took a lot of long nights, and a couple broke keys on this piano until I finally got it right." Jace admitted and Clary laughed.

"I loved it, and one day when you're a famous composure it's going to be big." Clary said and Jace laughed and pressed his lips back to hers.

"Thank you for always believing in me." Jace said when they broke apart and Clary smiled.

"It's hard not to believe in someone you have so much faith in." Clary said and Jace laughed. He was happy that he finally felt like he was doing the right thing in life. He knew his future was a bit murky, he didn't know exactly what he wanted to do with music, but after today he felt even better about the future than he already did, and that lifted a lot of stress off of him, and he finally was able to relax and be with Clary in a happy mood and it had been far too long since he felt so content.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy had been spending the majority of her time in the fashion building working on her outfits and Simon totally understood that, but when midnight hit and she still wasn't back Simon thought that he'd go check on her to see if she was okay. She wasn't answering her phone and that's what made Simon a little worried. Izzy also checked in when she knew she would be running a little late.

When Simon got to Yale he knew exactly where to go. He has had to bring Izzy dinner or a late snack on more than one occasion but he didn't mind. He loved seeing Izzy in her design mode, and he was happy to help in anyway he could. When he got to the fashion building he could see the light was still on so he assumed Izzy was in there working. He opened the door and made his way to the room where she usually posted up in and when he opened the door Simon couldn't help but laugh. Izzy was completely passed out on one of the table with a pencil in one hand and fabric in the other. Simon shook his head and made his way over to her. He slowly started rubbing her back until she started to wake up. When she opened her eyes she was instantly confused.

"Simon?" She asked and Simon laughed and nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"It's after midnight Iz, and you weren't answering your phone, which I understand now because it's dead." Simon said and Izzy slowly sat up.

"I can't believe I fell asleep." She said and Simon laughed.

"You need to relax a little Iz. All this staying up late and barely sleeping isn't good for you." Simon said as he helped her off the table.

"This project is really important." Izzy said.

"And so is your health." Simon said as he scooped her up into his arm. "I'm taking you home and you're going straight to bed."

"What about my car?" Izzy said.

"It'll be here in the morning. There is no way I'm letting you drive home tonight." Simon said and Izzy rested her head on his shoulder. She was extremely tired and she didn't realize how exhausted she was until Simon woke her up.

When they got home Simon carried Izzy into their room and placed her on the bed. He took her shoes of and started taking her jeans off as well. She was slightly awake but not enough to undress herself hence why Simon was doing it. Once he got her jeans off he took her sweater off as well. He walked over to his dresser and grabbed her one of his t-shirts. When he walked back over Izzy had gratefully taken off her bra and gave Simon quite a view. He slipped the shirt over her head and than he tucked her into bed. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and she smiled.

"What did I ever do to deserve someone as sweet as you?" Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Go to sleep Iz." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"I love you." She said on her way to falling asleep.

"I love you too." Simon said and with that Izzy allowed the darkness to wash over her.

When Izzy woke up she was extremely confused about how she ended up in her bed last night. She knew she was at Yale working on her project but she was so tired she didn't remember after that. She got out of bed and looked down and noticed she was wearing one of Simon's t-shirt. She smiled to herself before making her way to the kitchen where she heard some noise. When she got there she saw Simon cooking something and she smiled to herself again. She took a seat on the stool and just watched him cook. When he turned around and saw him he got the biggest smile on his face.

"Good morning." He said and Izzy smiled.

"Good morning." Izzy said as she leaned up and gave him a kiss. "How did I get home last night?"

"I went searching for you. I got worried when you didn't text me or answer my calls. I found you passed out on a table in the fashion building." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"I'm really sorry. I guess I was a lot more tired than I thought." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I got you home and into bed." Simon said and Izzy was grateful that she had a man who cared so much about her.

"Thank you for coming to find me." Izzy said as Simon put a plate of food in front of her.

"Of course Iz." Simon said and Izzy began eating. It was a Saturday and Izzy knew that she should probably work on her design more but something in Izzy was telling her to take the day off and that's exactly what she was going to do.

"Do you have any plans today?" Izzy asked Simon and he smiled.

"Nope. I have the whole day off." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"Wanna have a lazy day with me?" Izzy asked.

"I think that sounds perfect." Simon said and Izzy smiled. They continued eating breakfast and had a light conversation about schoolwork and what they had to do next week. Izzy knew she needed to relax and calm down, and she was glad that Simon was able to bring that side of her out, otherwise she'd never get any sleep.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Can we please just not face today?" Magnus said as he and Alec lay in bed.

"We can't just skip today Magnus." Alec said and Magnus groaned. "It won't be that."

"You don't know my father." Magnus said and Alec sighed.

"Look, we just have to get it over with and we might not have to see him ever again." Alec said and Magnus sighed as he sat up.

"You don't know my father Alec. He will start coming around more and more now that he got this idea in his head that I'm going to be rich." Magnus said.

"Listen, let's just meet with him today, see what he wants, and if you think he's just after the potential money and fame you might get in the future we can cut contact with him." Alec proposed and Magnus nodded.

"We just never got along, and I don't think that will change. He's never accepted my lifestyle." Magnus said and Alec grabbed his hand.

"Which lifestyle? Being gay, or wanting to be a fashion designer?" Alec asked and Magnus smiled.

"Well, he didn't understand the whole bisexual thing. He just thought I was conflicted, and being into fashion wasn't exactly what he had in mind for his son." Magnus said and Alec nodded.

"Look, I know this is going to be tough, but you're a successful guy Magnus, and you have a whole future ahead of you, and guess who did that?" Alec asked and Magnus looked at him. "You did that. You made this life for yourself, and I don't care what happens today, your father can't take that way from you."

"I hope you're right Alexander." Magnus said.

"And if he stats being a dick I'll punch him." Alec added which caused Magnus to laugh.

"We might as well go get ready for the day." Magnus said as he got out of bed.

"That's the spirit." Alec said with a smile. He knew this was going to be a hard day for Magnus and he was going to do everything he could to make sure it didn't go completely sideways.

After Magnus and Alec got ready they made their way to the restaurant where they were meeting Magnus's father. Magnus thought meeting in public was a better idea because he would be less likely to cause a scene with others around. When they walked in Magnus didn't see his father anywhere and he released a breath. He hadn't seen his father since high school and he was hoping that he'd never have to see him again. They were seated and they ordered a couple drinks before Magnus recognized a man walking towards them. He could spot those cat eyes anywhere. Magnus stood up and Alec followed. When he got closer he smiled at Magnus and it took everything in him not to roll his eyes.

"Magnus, it's been awhile son." His father said.

"Not long enough father." Magnus said, and Alec put his hand on Magnus's back and it instantly calmed him. "Father, this is my boyfriend Alexander."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Bane." Alec extended his hand and Magnus's father just looked at it and took a seat. Alec put his hand down and looked at Magnus to let him know that it was okay. He never expected Magnus's father to be warm on fuzzy or to even accept him as Magnus's boyfriend, but a little decency wasn't too much to ask for.

"I thought it was just going to be you and me son." Mr. Bane said after a moment.

"Nope. I thought this would be a good time for you to meet the man in my life, since you'll probably disappear for a couple years after this." Magnus said an Alec could tell how much venom he put into that sentence.

"Let's not get too vicious son. I just wanted to catch up. See how you've been." Mr. Bane said and Alec could tell he had more in his mind than just wanting to catch up with his son.

"Let's see, you haven't contacted me since I was 18 and left for college. Why the sudden interest?" Magnus asked his father.

"Oh you know, just thought it was time." He said which caused Magnus to let out a dry laugh.

"What's your agenda father?" Magnus asked.

"I read about you in the paper, and saw that you've made quite a name for yourself." He finally said and Magnus crossed his arms over his chest.

"So now that I'm getting somewhere in life, you think I'm worth your time?" Magnus asked.

"Son, that's not what this is about." His father said.

"Bullshit. You never once cared about me. Everything you've ever done as been to benefit yourself, and this is no different. I'm finally known as 'Magnus Bane, amazing up and coming fashion designer' and now you want to get to know me? I'm not longer just your queer disappointment of a son to you. I'm somebody, so it's okay to claim as yours again." Magnus said and it hurt Alec to hear how terribly his father treated him.

"I gave you everything." His father said as he gritted his teeth.

"Yea, until you realized that I wasn't straight, and into sports. Face it, I'm not the son you wanted back then, but now that someone else thinks I'm important enough, and worthy enough, I'm worth your time again." Magnus said.

"I didn't come here to fight with you Magnus." He said and Magnus just shook his head.

"Than you shouldn't have called." Magnus simply said as he stood. "You don't care about me, and you never have. That part of you isn't going to change." He said as he left the restaurant. Alec didn't want to be left alone with this man but he couldn't simply up and leave like Magnus. Alec looked back at Magnus's father and smiled. He pulled out his wallet and paid for the meal.

"It was nice meeting you Mr. Bane." Alec said as he started walking away. He was stopped when he felt a hand grab his wrist. He turned around and saw something in his eyes that wasn't familiar.

"He's happy right? I mean, he has a good life?" He asked. This completely shocked Alec. In the hour they had been in his presence he didn't come off as the type of man who cared.

"We have a great life." Alec said.

"You live together?" He asked and Alec nodded.

"Look, I understand that you had certain expectations when you found out you were going to have a son. My parents did too, and I lied for a long time to give them the ideal son." Alec explained. "It was the shittest time of my life. I had to pretend to be something I'm not because I thought it was better for me to be miserable than to tell my parents that I was gay." Alec said. "And I lost Magnus for a shot period of time because of that. Magnus isn't afraid or ashamed to be who he is. He wears his personality on his sleeve and people love him for that. I love him for that, and I wouldn't want him to be any other way. He's an amazing person, who doesn't deserve how you've treated him. I would appreciate if you just left him alone if this is how every meeting is going to turn out, and if you do want to meet him again, I'll be there. Every single time." Alec turned and walked away leaving a dumbfounded Mr. Bane behind. When he got to the car he could see Magnus through the window and he looked absolutely devastated. Alec hated that Magnus wasn't accepted by his father, and seeing him this hurt pained Alec. When he got in the car he didn't start it. They sat there for a few moment before Magnus spoke.

"I'm sorry I left you in there with him." He said and Alec laughed.

"I told him if this was how every get together was going to go between you two, than he should just cut his losses. I don't know if he'll get in contact with you again, but you always have me." Alec said and Magnus looked at him and smiled. He leaned over the consul and gave Alec a sweet kiss.

"Thank you Alexander. I don't know how I would have gotten through that without you." Magnus said.

"You probably would have smashed a plate over his head." Alec said and Magnus laughed. Alec started the car and they made their way home. Today was an emotional day for both Alec and Magnus. When they got home all they wanted to do was rest and forget about the horrible time they had that afternoon. In a strange way Magnus felt lighter after confronting is father after all those years apart. He felt like he could finally leave that part in his past and move onto his future. A future that was nothing but bright, and Magnus couldn't wait for that.


	17. Chapter 17

**Authors Note:**

 **Not surprising at all, Jace plays the piano again in this chapter, and I was inspired by "The Journey" by Greg Maroney, I think it's a beautiful piece, and I suggest you listen to it when reading their part! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! It worked our perfectly that I got to this chapter right before the holiday season! :) Merry Christmas, and happy holiday's to everyone of you fabulous readers!**

 **Also, I do realize I kind of make Jace really closed off when it comes to when things aren't going his way with his music, and I know you probably think he could share that type of stuff with Clary. I mean, they do live together, but Jace is also very private, and so is Clary. They are both used to building walls, and I promise that those walls will break in later chapters, but for right now, when it comes to Jace's music, and Clary's art, they really like to keep them to themselves, and they both totally understand that, and are working towards opening up to each other when it comes to that! Alright, here's chapter 17! I hope you all enjoy it! :)**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Clary couldn't contain her excitement when Christmas break rolled around. She was going all out decorating their place. Celebrating Christmas in their new apartment meant everything to Clary. Things had been stressed the couple weeks of school, but with the holiday break she was hoping that things got back to normal between the two of them. Clary had finished her finals yesterday, but Jace had his last one today, so Clary took the opportunity to blast Christmas music, bake some cookies, and decorate the house. She wanted to save the tree so her and Jace could decorate it together. Clary was singing along with whatever Christmas song was on the radio when she heard the front door slam. When Clary turned around she saw Jace storm past her. He said nothing, and a moment later she heard another door slam, and she assumed it was their bedroom door.

Clary knew that Jace needed some time to cool off from whatever was bothering him, so she continued to bake. Seeing Jace this stressed concerned Clary, he had always had a lightness to him, and for the past couple weeks his attitude has changed, and he's nothing but dark, and it scared her. All Clary could do was be there for him as much as she could and hope that he opened up to her about what was stressing him out so much.

Jace didn't want to talk to anyone. He was pissed, and upset and not in the mood to be around cheer. When he got home and heard the Christmas music he wanted to break the radio. He didn't know why he had been so irritated lately, but everything just seemed to push his buttons, and his classes were kicking his ass. He didn't want to flip shit on Clary again so he simply just ignored her and went straight to their room. He immediately got in the shower hoping that it would rinse away some of the stress.

It worked a little, but Jace still felt incredibly stressed. When he got out of the shower he noticed that the music was not playing anymore. After he got dressed he emerged from their room and made his way out to the living room where he saw Clary sitting on the couch sketching. He sighed and smiled to himself. He looked around their place and realized that Clary had been decorating their place for their first Christmas here as a couple, and he couldn't help but feel happiness for the first time in weeks. She was doing everything in her power to make this holiday special, and he'd been nothing but a Grinch.

Jace walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of Clary. He looked into her eyes and she smiled at him, and Jace couldn't help but smile back at her. Her happiness was infectious and he'd been so preoccupied with school that he forgot how bright her smile truly was.

"How was your final?" She asked and Jace hung his head.

"I messed up." He said and Clary swung her legs over the couch and took his hands in hers.

"How badly?" She asked.

"The first chorus was completely wrong, and I knew I should have changed it, but I wanted to challenge myself." He said and Clary smiled at him.

"Maybe your professor will admire that you took a risk, and tried to challenge yourself." She said and Jace shrugged. "I'm really proud of you Jace. I bet that piece was incredible."

"Would you like to hear it?" He asked and Clary smiled and nodded. Jace took her hand and led her to his piano room. When they sat down Jace took a deep breath and started playing.

Clary was mesmerized by his finger like she was every single time he played for her. They glided over the keys like they were a part of him, and the music that was flowing out of the piano was beautiful. She couldn't believe how truly talented he was. One of Clary's favorite things in the world was listening to him play. She looked up from the keys to look at Jace and she caught him so completely caught up in the music he was playing. She could see how truly swept away he was when he played the piano.

When he was finished he took a breath before opening his eyes. He looked at Clary and she had the biggest smile on her face. He had just played it perfectly, and as much as he wished that he played it like that for his final, he was happy that he was able to play it perfectly for the love of his life.

"Jace, that was absolutely brilliant." She said and Jace smiled. "I'm serious, you amaze me every single time you play."

"I didn't mess up this time." He said and Clary laughed.

"Even if you did I would have thought it was beautiful. I'm amazed at how much you've grown since attending Juilliard." She said as she pressed her lips to his.

"It's a pain in the ass most days, but after playing that, knowing that I created that, and how much time and energy went into it makes me incredibly happy. I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without the professors at that school." He explained and Clary smiled at him.

"You are far more talented than you give yourself credit for Jace. And your professors know that. I see what they write on your sheet music Jace. You are constantly surprising them and amazing them with how talented you are."

"You know I'm a perfectionist. Especially when it comes to my music. If I'm not doing it perfectly, I might as well be doing it wrong." He said and Clary laughed.

"That piece of music Jace, was a masterpiece, and I am so incredibly proud that you created it." Clary said and Jace smiled. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers.

"I'm sorry I've been so moody lately." He said and she smiled.

"I understand. Trust me, you aren't the only one who is picky when it comes to your craft. I started my final over three times before I was satisfied with the outcome." She said and he smiled.

"That sucks. How did it turn out?" He asked.

"You wanna see it?" She asked and Jace nodded enthusiastically. Clary took his hand and led him to their room. She walked him to the closet and when she opened it, she walked in and grabbed the canvas that she had stored in there. When she walked back out she took a deep breath before turning it around.

The moment Jace laid eyes on that piece of artwork he was in awe. He knew Clary was talented, but he didn't know how talented until he saw this piece of work. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of landscape that he had ever scene. Without the ability to create physical water, she still managed to capture a rainy day in New York absolutely perfectly. When Jace finally looked back up at Clary he could see that she was scared of his response.

"That is absolutely beautiful Clary." He said and she smiled.

"We had to pick any random day and paint it. I personally don't really like landscape portraits, but that's what this class focused on so I had to do it." She said and Jace laughed. "I don't know if you remember this day or not. But we had decided to take a walk and it started down pouring out of nowhere."

"I remember." Jace said and she smiled.

"We started running back here until somewhere along the way we started dancing in the rain. We were laughing until I could barely breath, and I don't think I've ever had that much fun in a storm." She said and Jace smiled. "I picked it because that was the first time that I could truly see you so carefree since we started school. Obviously I couldn't add people, otherwise the focus of the painting would have shifted, but when I look at it all I see is us dancing and laughing together." She said and Jace instantly felt horrible. He knew that he had been a total nightmare the past couple months, and Clary had been incredibly sweet about it, and he didn't even thank her.

"I'm sorry I've been such a nightmare. I've just been so stressed, and I let it get to me." Jace said and Clary smiled. She put the canvas down and made her way over to Jace.

"It's okay Jace. I haven't complained have I?" She asked and Jace shook his head. "I do wish you'd open up to me more, but I get that opening up about your music is hard for you. It's just a personal part of you, and sharing that is tough, but I'll always be here to listen when you're finished a piece, or whenever you're ready for me to listen." She said and Jace smiled.

"What did I do to deserve such a patient girl like you?" Jace said and Clary laughed.

"I don't know." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"Since we're both done with our finals, why don't we have a long overdue movie night." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I'd love that." They made their way into the living room and got everything ready. Jace and Clary both knew that living together wasn't going to be easy, and these last couple months have proved that, but that didn't mean Clary or Jace regretted it. They loved living together, despite the disagreements.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"We aren't making it home for the holidays are we?" Izzy asked as she looked out the window of their apartment.

"I don't think so Iz. We wouldn't even make it out of the development at this rate." Simon said and Izzy sighed. "I know you were looking forward to going home, so was I, but that doesn't mean Christmas and Hanukah are ruined." Simon said and Izzy turned to look at him.

"We don't have anything for the holiday's Simon. We were both expecting to be home." She said and Simon nodded.

"We'll improvise. I'm not going to let our first holiday season as a couple go to waste just because we're in the middle of the worst winter Connecticut has ever seen." He said and Izzy laughed.

"Telling our moms is going to suck." Izzy said and Simon nodded in agreement. "They were looking forward to us coming home."

"We can't control the weather Iz." Simon said and Izzy nodded. "Why don't we call one at a time and deal with them together." Simon suggested and Izzy nodded. Simon grabbed his phone and they both took a seat on the couch. Simon dialed his moms number and put it on speaker.

"Hi Simon." She beamed from the other end of the phone.

"Hey mom. You're on speaker and Izzy is with me." He said.

"Hi Izzy." She said and Izzy smiled.

"Hi Mrs. Lewis." Izzy said.

"What's up you two?" She asked.

"I have some bad news. Izzy and I won't be able to make it in for the holidays." Simon said and they could hear her sigh.

"Why not?" She asked.

"We are currently experiencing the worst winter Connecticut has ever experienced. The roads are a disaster, and we were in a state of emergency a couple days ago. I think it would be safer if we just stayed here." Simon said.

"Okay honey." She said and Simon could tell she was upset. "Stay safe."

"I'm really sorry Mrs. Lewis. We were looking forward to coming home so badly." Izzy said.

"I know you did sweetie, and it sucks that there had to be a snow storm." Mrs. Lewis said.

"Thank you for understanding mom." Simon said and he heard his mom let our a little laugh.

"It's not like you can control the weather." She said and Simon and Izzy looked at each other and laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Simon said the same exact thing." Izzy said which caused Mrs. Lewis to laugh as well.

"That's my boy. Alright kids, we'll talk soon. Like I said, stay safe." Mrs. Lewis said.

"Of course mom. I love you." Simon said.

"I love you too Simon." She said and they hung up. Izzy than took her phone out and dialed her mom and out it on speaker.

"Hello?" She answered after a few moments.

"Hey mom, you're on speaker and Simon is with me." Izzy said.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your phone call?" Maryse asked.

"We won't be able to make it in for the holidays." Izzy said.

"Why is that?" Maryse asked.

"We're in the middle of a blizzard, and the roads are terrible." Simon explained.

"That sucks." She said which caused Izzy and Simon to laugh.

"We just wanted to let you know. We thought it would be safer to stay off the streets until they told us it was safe." Izzy said.

"I understand sweetie. Christmas isn't going to be the same without you." Maryse said.

"I know mom. And it sucks we can't come home. Simon and I are both really bummed." Izzy said.

"I understand. Well, stay safe, and warm, and have as great of a holiday season as you two can." Maryse said and Izzy smiled.

"We will mom. We'll talk soon. I love you." Izzy said.

"I love you too Isabelle." Maryse said and they hung up. Izzy looked at Simon and smiled.

"Well, I guess we're going to have a strange Merry Hanukah this year." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"We'll make this a great holiday Iz." Simon said as he pressed his lips to hers. Izzy nodded and than the power went out.

"Great. We're going to freeze now." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"The best form of heat is body heat." Simon said and Izzy laughed. Izzy grabbed all the blankets they had while Simon started a fire. They both curled up on the couch and sat in the silence. They looked out the window and watched the snowfall. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad holiday season after all.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec and Magnus were making their way to the Lightwood house for the holidays and Magnus was pretty excited. He hasn't celebrated a holiday with a family in years, and to finally have that back was really awesome. Alec on the other hand was a little nervous. This was the first Christmas without Max, and it was really weighing on Alec's heart this season. Magnus could tell that something was bothering Alec but he wasn't going to push Alec into telling him, when he as ready he would tell Magnus but for right now, Magnus was just going to be there silently for Alec as much as he could.

When they got to the house it looked absolutely spectacular. Magnus was completely in awe with how festive it looked. He had the biggest smile on his face while he was taking in the whole sight. When Alec looked at Magnus smiling he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as well.

"Was Christmas not a big thing with your growing up?" Alec asked and Magnus looked at him.

"We didn't do any holidays. My father didn't like them, and my mom just went along with it. She didn't want to piss him off." Magnus explain.

"Be prepared, because my mom loves Christmas." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"I can't wait." Magnus said. Alec took Magnus's hand in his and led him inside. If Magnus thought the outside was spectacular, the inside was nothing short of extraordinary. Everything was decked out in red and green and white. It looked like what Magnus had always imagined Christmas was supposed to look like.

"Magnus, Alexander, I'm so glad you were able to make it!" Maryse said as she entered the hallway.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world mom." Alec said as he gave her a hug.

"Jace and Clary should be here shortly, but I'm afraid Simon and Isabelle are stuck in Connecticut." Maryse said and Alec frowned.

"What happened?" Alec asked.

"Huge snow storm. The worst Connecticut has seen in years." Maryse said and Alec nodded in understanding. "It sucks, but I want them to be safe, and if that means they have to stay in Connecticut, than that's where they have to stay." Maryse said.

"Well, you have Jace and I, plus Magnus and Clary, so it should be a good holiday." Alec said trying to cheer his mother up.

"Right you are Alexander. Can I get you anything to drink?" She asked.

"You know what I like, what about you Magnus?" Alec asked.

"I'm good with pretty much anything." Magnus said.

"I have this great bottle of red wine, would you care to try it?" Maryse offered.

"Sounds lovely." Magnus said and Maryse smiled and made her way into the kitchen.

"I'll give you the tour." Alec said.

"I've been here before Alexander." Magnus said with an amused smiled.

"Yes, but you haven't seen our Christmas tree." Alec said. He grabbed Magnus's hand and pulled him towards the living room. When they entered it was more than Magnus could take in.

"Wow." Magnus said and Alec smiled.

"Told you it was amazing." Alec said.

Magnus walked around the living room looking at the tree. It was the most amazing Christmas tree that he's ever seen. When he made his way fully around he saw Alec looking at the fire place with the stocking. There was one for every child, including Max. Magnus went over and took Alec's hand in his. Alec looked over and gave him a sad smile which Magnus returned.

"It didn't seem right leaving it in the boxes downstairs." They both heard from behind them. Maryse was standing there with a wine glass in one hand, and a small glass of whiskey in the other. "He might not be here physically, but he's always going to be present in this home." She said and Alec nodded and looked back at the stockings.

"You added a few more stockings I see." Alec said and Maryse made her way over to him.

"I would have mailed Simon and Isabelle's if I knew the weather was going to be horrible. I feel like it isn't Christmas without stockings." Maryse said and Magnus and Alec took their drinks.

"You couldn't have known mom, plus isn't Simon Jewish?" Alec said.

"That doesn't mean he can't have a stocking." Maryse said and Alec laughed. "I'm glad you're here Alexander."

"Me too mom." Alec said. Maryse smiled at him and than left the room.

Magnus walked over and put his hand on Alec's shoulder. This Christmas was definitely going to be different, and the loss of Max would be weighing heavy on all their hearts but Alec was glad that he got to spend this time with his family, and Magnus. He was sad, but he knows that Magnus was still here, and looking out for them no matter what. Alec pulled Magnus towards him and pressed his lips to his.

"I love you." Alec said when he broke apart and Magnus smiled.

"I love you too." Magnus replied. At that moment there was a knock on the door, and he immediately heard Jace's voice. He smiled to himself, lucky that he still had the rest of his family to celebrate with, and Alec was grateful for that.

 **Authors Note:**

 **One more before I go, I'm going to be out of town for a couple days so I probably won't be updating anything besides this story until after Christmas! I promise though, after Christmas I will update as much as I can to make up for the lack of updates because of my time out of town! Happy Holidays to you very lovely readers! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

 **Time Jump – Summer Vacation**

Their first year of college was over and Jace and Clary were thankful to make it out alive. They had both excelled in their classes despite the stress and mini fights they had with each other and they were glad to have a summer to just spend together. Of course their plans spend the whole summer together were crushed when Maryse told them they were going on a family vacation for two weeks over the summer break. Clary couldn't blame her though, with all three of her children all off at school, and Izzy being so far away Clary understood why she wanted some time to just be a family again, but that didn't mean Clary wasn't going to miss Jace.

"We have to be at your mom's house in 25 minutes Jace!" Clary yelled as she heard footsteps coming into the living room.

"I just had a to pack a couple extra things." He said and Clary smiled. They made their way out to Clary's car and started making their way to the Lightwood house.

When they got there Izzy and Simon were already there, along with Alec and Magnus. Clary could tell that Magnus and Simon both weren't looking forward to this family vacation just like Clary, but they deserved a nice family vacation after the last year they had. Robert was busy packing the car while everyone else was seated in the kitchen.

"Alright Lightwood's if we don't leave now we'll be late for our flight." Robert said and everyone started walking out of the kitchen but Jace and Clary lingered.

"I'm going to miss you." Clary said and Jace wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him.

"I'm going to miss you too, but we'll talk as much as we can." Jace said and Clary nodded into his chest.

"How long is the flight again?" Clary asked as she pulled apart.

"About 16 hours. We'll get in and probably go straight to bed, so I'll text you once we land and than once we catch up on our sleep." Jace said and Clary nodded as another tear escaped her eyes. Jace reached up and brushed them off her cheeks.

"I'll be back in two weeks Clary." Jace said and she nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers for a moment before they made their way outside.

Simon and Izzy had just finished saying goodbye along with Alec and Magnus. Jace Izzy and Alec got into the car and Simon, Clary, and Magnus stood in the driveway and waved as they drove away. They were quiet for a moment before Simon spoke.

"These two weeks are going to suck." He said and Magnus and Clary laughed.

"Amen to that." Magnus said and Clary nodded.

"You staying for the whole two weeks Simon?" Clary asked.

"Yea. Izzy and I drove down together since she wasn't staying, and since I didn't get to see my family during the holidays, this is me making up for that." Simon explained.

"Well, why don't us significant otherless people get together on Wednesday and do lunch?" Clary suggested.

"I'm in." Simon said and Magnus nodded in agreement.

"Cool. Meet at my place, and there is this great restaurant Jace and I love to go to!" Clary said and they both nodded. "Well, I'm going to go home. My mom's coming over for dinner tonight, and the living room is a little messy."

"Surprising seeing as Jace lives there." Magnus said and Clary laughed.

"He was leaving, so he wasn't really concerned with the mess, but when he gets back he might have a heart attack." Clary said and they all laughed. "I'll see you guys on Wednesday, 11:30."

Clary made her way back to her car and headed back to her place. When she opened the door and walked in Clary instantly felt Jace's presence missing. She knew how important spending this time with his family was but she couldn't help but want to feel a little selfish in wanting to keep him close to her for as long as she could.

 **Time Jump – Early Wednesday Morning**

Clary was sound asleep in her bed when she heard a bang that jolted her awake. She was in a deep sleep so it took a moment for her to wake up when she heard things being smashed. She got out of bed and made her way towards the noise, which she knew was most likely a terrible idea.

When she was in the doorway of the living room she saw two huge men ransacking her apartment. She involuntarily sucked in a gasp and they turned their attention towards her and gave her a disgusting smirk.

"Well, look what we have here Pangborn. You're a cute little thing." The one man said ad Clary wanted to vomit.

"You live alone sweetheart?" The other man said.

"No." Clary answered and the two men looked at each other.

"Where's your roommate?" They asked.

"He worked the early shift today." She said trying to convince them.

"Pity." The one said as he pulled out a gun and aimed it at Clary. Clary's eyes widened and he cocked the gun. Before Clary could even move a loud bang rang throughout the whole apartment. Clary felt an awful pain through her whole stomach, and when she looked down Jace's shirt was starting to stain a crimson red. She moved her hand over the wound and looked up at the two men who had smiles on their faces.

Clary hit the ground hard and tried to stay awake, but with all the blood loss it was becoming impossible. The two men proceeded to grab what they could and leave, probably knowing that someone would have heard the shot. Clary didn't have her phone on her so she couldn't call the police. She tried to sit up but she screamed in pain and fell back down to the ground. Her eyes were heavy, and her breathing was fast. She didn't know how much longer she could stay in semi consciousness, but as the darkness started to consume her she saw a figure in the doorway. She had no idea who it was but they rushed over to her and the darkness finally took her over.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Simon made his way to Clary's house so they could all go to breakfast when Simon saw a swarm of police cars in her neighborhood. Curious, Simon parked and made his way over to one of the officers.

"Excuse me officer, I was wondering if you could tell me what happened?" Simon asked and the police officer turned around.

"Home invasion." He said and Simon nodded. "Do you happen to know the woman who lives in apartment 136?" He asked and Simon's eyes widened.

"She's my best friend. Her name is Clarissa Fray, is she okay?" Simon asked concerned.

"She was unresponsive when we arrived. Her neighbor reported hearing a gunshot and when he entered her place she was close to bleeding out." The officer said and Simon nearly fell over. "She was taken to Idris Hospital."

"Has her mom been notified?" Simon asked.

"They are still processing the scene, I don't know if anyone's been around to notifying the family." He said and Simon nodded. "The neighbor said a couple lived there, but we haven't seen anyone come by."

"Her boyfriend is currently on vacation with his family. They left a couple days ago." Simon said and the officer nodded. "Thanks for the information." Simon went back to his car when he spotted Magnus.

"Simon, what's going on?" Magnus asked.

"Clary's house was robbed last night, and the intruders shot her." Simon said and Magnus's eyes widened. "She's at the hospital. I'm going to go tell Jocelyn, can you go to the hospital and try and find out any information you can?"

"Of course. Are you going to call Jace?" Magnus asked.

"I'm going to call Izzy, and have her tell him. He doesn't deserve to hear this over the phone." Simon said and Magnus nodded.

"Which hospital was she taken too?" Magnus asked before they got into their cars.

"Idris Hospital." Simon said and Magnus was off.

Simon was in a complete daze driving to Jocelyn's apartment. He had no idea how he was going to tell her that Clary was currently in the hospital, with no idea what was going on, but she needed to be there. When he finally pulled up to her house he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. And a minute later Jocelyn answered with a giant smile on her face.

"Simon, this is a surprise. What brings you here?" Jocelyn asked as she welcomed him inside.

"Jocelyn, I'm not here for a simple visit. I have something to tell you." Simon said and Jocelyn immediately got worried.

"What happened to Clary?" She asked.

"There was a home invasion last night, and Clary was shot." Simon said and Jocelyn was immediately on her feet.

"Which hospital?" She asked.

"Idris. I'll drive you there." Simon said and Jocelyn nodded.

They got into the car and made their way to the hospital and saw Magnus waiting in the waiting room. They walked in and Magnus was immediately standing and making his way over to them

"Any news?" Simon asked.

"She's currently in surgery, but I'm not family, so they wouldn't tell me anything else." Magnus said and Simon nodded. Jocelyn bolted to the nurses station to get more information.

"My daughter Clarissa Fray was brought here." Jocelyn said and the nurse looked up.

"She is currently in surgery to remove the bullet, and replace the blood that was lost." The nurse said.

"Do you happen to know how the surgery is going?" Jocelyn asked.

"I can call down to the ER and ask for you." The nurse said.

"Thank you." Jocelyn said and we all made our way over to the chairs to wait.

Simon didn't know how long they were sitting there, and pacing that waiting room hoping the next nurse or doctor who walked in had information on Clary. Simon was waiting to call Izzy until they had something more than just her being in surgery to tell them. He didn't want to give them anything that wasn't concrete.

"Clarissa Fray?" Someone said and they all stood up. "Surgery isn't going as smoothly as they hoped it would. I've spoken to the doctor who is currently working on your daughter and he says they could be down there for another couple hours." The nurse said and walked away. We all sat back down and Jocelyn lost it. Magnus put his arm around her and she leaned into him and just let it all out.

"I'm going to go call Izzy now." Simon said and Magnus nodded. Simon made his way out of the hospital and dialed Izzy's number. After a few rings she answered.

"Simon!" She laughed through the phone, and Simon smiled despite how incredibly sad he was. "I didn't know you were going to call."

"It wasn't planned." Simon said trying to keep his voice calm. "How are you?"

"Great! Currently sitting on the beach watching Jace and Alec make fools of themselves surfing." She laughed and Simon tried to laugh with her but he just couldn't' fake that. "Something sounds off, are you okay Simon?"

"No. I have something I need to tell you." Simon said seriously and Izzy immediately got worried.

"What happened?" Izzy questioned and Simon could hear the worry in her voice.

"It's Clary." Simon said and his voice cracked.

"What happened to Clary?" Izzy questioned.

"There was a home invasion. She was shot." Simon said and Izzy gasped.

"Is she okay?" Izzy asked trying not to cry.

"She's in surgery, and we just got word that it wasn't going well." Simon said and that was all it took for Izzy to start crying. "I need you to tell Jace for me. This isn't something he should hear over the phone."

"I'll tell him." Izzy sobbed and Simon hated that he couldn't comfort her. "I'll tell my parents too. We'll be on the next flight out."

"We're at Idris Hospital. I doubt we'll be leaving anytime soon." Simon said.

"Who is all there?" Izzy asked.

"Jocelyn, Magnus and I." Simon said. Simon looked up and Magnus was standing there motioning for him to come join him. "I have to go Iz, Magnus needs me. We'll talk soon."

"I love you Simon." Izzy said which caused Simon to smile.

"I love you too Iz." Simon said and he hung up and walked towards Magnus. This was going to be an incredibly long day.

After hanging up the phone with Simon Izzy just looked out at the ocean and saw Jace and Alec laughing and having an amazing time, and she didn't want to ruin that, but Jace needed to know what was going on. She couldn't stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes ever time she thought of Clary and what was happening at home. Izzy was broken out of her thoughts when she heard her name being called.

"Izzy!" She heard and looked up and Jace and Alec were heading her way. "Are you okay?" Alec asked and she forgot that she had been crying.

"No. Simon just called." Izzy said.

"What did rat face do now?" Jace said with anger in his voice.

"Nothing, he just had some news for me." Izzy said. "You two should take a seat." Alec and Jace did what she said and took a seat on their surfboards. Izzy took a deep breath and looked at Jace. "Clary is in the hospital." I said and Jace's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Why didn't she call me herself?" Jace asked after a moment.

"She's currently in surgery." Izzy said.

"What happened?" Jace asked and Izzy could see his eyes become glossy.

"Home invasion. She was shot. That's all Simon told me." Izzy said and Jace was immediately on his feet.

"I need to go home." Jace said walking around looking like a chicken with his head cut off.

"We'll go tell our parents, and we'll be on the next flight out. I promise." Izzy said but Jace didn't look convinced. "She's going to be okay Jace."

"I can't lose her Iz. I just can't." Jace said and Izzy walked over and threw her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to him.

"And you won't. One thing at a time though, we tell mom and dad, we get on a plane, and we figure everything else out once we land." Izzy said and Jace nodded.

They made their way back to the beach house that Maryse and Robert rented for the vacation. When the three of them walked in Maryse and Robert were concerned by the looks on all three of their faces.

"What's wrong kids?" Maryse asked. Izzy looked at Jace but he wasn't in the kind of state to talk.

"Simon just called me, and Clary is in the hospital." Izzy said and Maryse and Robert looked shocked.

"What happened?" Robert asked.

"Home invasion. She was shot." Izzy said and Maryse gasped. "We need to get home mom. Jace can't stay here."

"I'll book the first flight home." Maryse said.

Jace didn't say anything, he just went to his room and left the rest of the living room. It was quiet for a while before anyone dared break it but Maryse was the first one to speak.

"Did Simon tell you how she was doing?" She asked.

"He said it wasn't going well." Izzy said and Maryse sighed.

"I hope she makes it. I can't imagine what Jace would be like without her." Maryse said and the room nodded in agreement.

Izzy soon left the family to go to her room and let the news sink in. She almost didn't believe Simon when he told her, and she couldn't wrap her head around a world where Clary didn't exist. There was a knock on Izzy's door and a moment later it opened and Maryse appeared.

"Our flight leaves at 11 tonight. Start packing." She said and than left. Izzy sighed and started packing her bags. She didn't know how this was going to end, but he hoped to god that it ended happily. She couldn't imagine what Jace would be like without Clary, and she didn't want too. They were perfect for each other, and they belonged together.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec took his seat on the plane next to Jace, and he could tell Jace was completely out of it. He didn't eat, or drink, or even talk. He just stared in front of him and looked like he wanted to cry, but no tears came out. Alec hadn't heard from Magnus yet, but he assumed he was busy at the hospital, and they would speak when they got back. Alec hated seeing Jace so upset, and he couldn't believe that this happened in the first place. All his mom was able to talk about was finding them anew place to live that's more secure, and I couldn't agree with her more.

The flight was incredibly long for Alec, way longer than he liked being in an airplane but for the couple days he was on vacation they had fun, so I guess the flight there wasn't bad, but this flight home was excruciating. Everyone was worried about Clary, and all they wanted to go was get to the hospital.

Finally the flight landed and Alec had to physically pick Jace up out of the seat. He was in shock, and until he saw Clary, Alec didn't think that he would snap out of it. They grabbed their bags from baggage claim and made their way to their car. The ride to the hospital was silent, and took what seemed like forever to get to the hospital but when they got there Jace bolted out of the car. Alec slowly got out of the car and walked into the hospital. Magnus was still waiting in the waiting room for them so he could tell them what was happening. When Magnus saw him he stood up and engulfed Alec in a hug.

"I missed you." Magnus said and Alec couldn't help but smile.

"I missed you too. Anymore news?" Alec asked and the whole family looked at him.

"She just got out of surgery. It was touch and go there for a while. The doctor said her heart stopped 3 times." Magnus said and he could see Jace get paler. "They finally got enough blood in her and her organs started to stabilize. She's currently in the ICU, and the next 24 hours are crucial."

"I should have been there." Jace said and everyone looked at him. It was the first thing Alec heard him say since he got the news.

"You couldn't have known Jace." Magnus said and Jace shook his head.

"I should have been with her. I can't live without her. I just can't." Jace said and Alec went over and pulled him into a hug.

"You just have to have faith that she'll pull through this Jace." Alec said and Jace sniffed and wiped the single tear that escaped his eyes. Alec looked around the waiting room and Simon was holding onto Izzy while she cried, but I didn't see her mom anywhere. "Where is Jocelyn?"

"She's in the room with Clary. They didn't want more than two people in there at a time. So Simon and I just stayed here." Simon said.

"Jace, her room is number 110." Magnus said and Jace nodded and immediately left.

"Does anyone need anything?" Maryse asked. "I'm going to go home and put all out things away, I can bring back coffee and food if everyone is hungry."

"Coffee and food would be great Maryse." Simon said. Maryse nodded and grabbed Robert by the hand and left.

Alec, Magnus, Izzy and Simon all took a seat in the waiting room just to be there in case anything else happened. Alec couldn't believe that this happened to someone has sweet and kind as Clary. She didn't deserve this, and he hoped that for all of their sakes, especially Jocelyn and Jace's that she pulled through this.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

Jace hadn't left Clary's side since he returned home from vacation. He felt incredibly guilty for not being there to protect her that he wasn't leaving her alone until she was 100% recovered. The doctor said they wanted to keep her sedated until her body fully accepted the blood she was given and to let her organs recover, and Jace couldn't wait to talk to her again, and tell her how much he loved her. He doesn't know what he would do without Clary, and knowing that he could have lost her wasn't sitting well with him.

Jace was constantly touching her. If he wasn't holding her hand, than his hand was resting on her foot. He wanted Clary to know that he was there for her, and that he wasn't leaving until she was allowed to leave. Jace had Clary's hand securely in his and his head was resting on the bed. He thought he needed some sleep considering he was barely sleeping as it was, and he knew that it wasn't healthy, and whenever he took Clary home, he needed to be healthy so that he could take care of her. Before Jace knew it someone was shaking his shoulder. He rubbed his eyes and looked up to see Jocelyn standing there.

"I brought you some coffee and a bagel. Not from the hospital cafeteria. I figured you needed some decent food." She said and Jace smiled.

"Thanks Jocelyn. Have you spoken to the doctors?" Jace asked as he took the coffee and bagel from Jocelyn.

"He wants to start taking her off the sedative so that she starts waking up." Jocelyn said and Jace's eyes widen.

"Really?" He asked almost in complete disbelief.

"He says her body has completely accepted the blood and her organs are stable enough. It might take her a couple days to fully wake up, but he sounds very sure." Jocelyn said.

"Thank god." Jace said and Jocelyn put her hand on his shoulder.

"She's still going to have a long recovery Jace." Jocelyn said.

"I know, and I'm going to be by her side the whole way. Nothing is ever going to happen to her ever again." Jace said as he looked at Clary.

"This wasn't your fault Jace." Jocelyn said.

"I promised you I'd keep her safe, and I failed you, and her." Jace said as he looked between Jocelyn and Clary.

"And those men would have broken into your house if you were there too. The police are still looking for them. This isn't the first time they robbed a house, or injured someone. These guys were professional, and I hate to say this, but Clary stood no chance. She's lucky she's alive, and right now that's all I am really concerned about. She's alive, and the doctors assure me she'll make a full recovery."

"I just hate that I couldn't help her. I couldn't save her from this." Jace said and Jocelyn smiled.

"I know you will prevent anything in the future from ever happening to my daughter, and I'm grateful for that." Jocelyn said and Jace looked at her.

"I promise nothing will ever happen to her ever again." Jace said and Jocelyn smiled.

"The doctor should be in soon to start taking her off the sedative. I have to go to work, but keep me updated." Jocelyn said.

"Of course." Jace said and Jocelyn left the room.

Jace finished his coffee and bagel and took Clary's hand in his again and put his head back down on the bed. Jace was incredibly tired, and was in desperate need of a good nights sleep, but there was no way he was leaving Clary, and if he had to sacrifice sleep to be with her, that's what he was going to do.

Izzy, Simon, Magnus and Alec visited later that day, and Jace was grateful that they came to see her and keep him company for some time. The doctor had come in just before they arrived and started taking Clary off the sedative, and all Jace could think about was her waking up. There was nothing more that Jace wanted than to hold, and kiss, and talk to Clary, but he knew he had to be patient, no matter how hard that was.

"Mom found you guys a new house." Izzy said after a moment. "She didn't want you moving back into that house after what happened."

"That was nice of her." Jace said and Izzy smiled.

"We're going to move all your furniture in tomorrow." She said and Jace nodded.

"What was taken from our house?" Jace asked realizing he didn't even ask the officers that when they came to talk to him.

"They took random things. Like the TV, and the nice rug. They took your knives, and some other kitchen appliances. I don't really see why they needed to harm Clary. They didn't go into your bedroom or anything in the back. They stayed in the front."

"Maybe they only steal certain things. They certainly couldn't have carried out a piano after they shot her, and they probably didn't realize how expensive all Clary's art supplies are. They might be professional, but they definitely don't know the value of something." Alec said.

"Where is our new house?" Jace asked after a moment.

"About 5 minutes away from your other neighborhood. It's a little closer to NYU, but mom didn't think that would bother you." Izzy said.

"Not at all." Jace said. "I appreciate you guys doing this for us."

"We would do anything for you and Clary." Simon said. "She means a lot to all of us."

"I know." Jace said and they all nodded.

Simon, Izzy, Alec and Magnus stayed for another hour or two before they decided to leave Jace alone with Clary. Jace was grateful for his friends, and family, and he was really thankful that they were doing everything for him and Clary.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

Jace was sleeping with his hand tightly holding Clary's like he always did when he fell asleep. Clary woke up not knowing what was going on. She could feel pain in her body and something clutching her left hand. When she opened her eyes she recognized the room. It was a hospital room. She looked around and when she looked down she saw that familiar blonde hair lying on the bed. Despite how confused Clary was she couldn't help but smile. She slowly started to move the hand that he was holding, and after a couple minutes he finally started to stir. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and when his golden eyes locked with her emerald green, he got the biggest smile on his face.

"Am I dreaming?" He said which caused Clary to laugh.

"I don't think so." She replied and Jace stood up and walked over and placed his hand on her cheek. She leaned into the familiar touch and she couldn't stop the tear that escaped her eyes.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're awake." Jace said has he pressed his lips to her forehead. "You scared the shit out of me Clary."

"I don't know why I went out into the living room. I heard the noise, and I went straight to it. I'm so sorry Jace." Clary said has her eyes glossed over again.

"You're alive, and awake and that's all I care about right now." Jace said and Clary gave him a small smile. "I'm going to go get the doctor." Clary nodded and Jace let go of her hand and walked out of the room. Clary took a deep breath and started to think back to that night. She remembered what happened, and she hated herself for being so stupid. A moment later Jace walked back in followed by a doctor. Jace walked right over to Clary and took her hand in his.

"It's good to see you awake Clary. Are you experiencing any pain currently?" The doctor asked.

"A little, but its more of a dull pain." Clary said.

"How so?" The doctor asked.

"I can feel it, but if I don't think about it, I forget that it's there. Sort of like a small headache, you know it's there but if you just don't pay attention to it, the pain doesn't affect you." Clary explained.

"And where can you feel that pain?" The doctor asked.

"In my stomach." Clary said and the doctor nodded.

"Okay Clary, we're going to keep you here for another two days, and we'll take a good look at you, and hopefully discharge you than." The doctor said.

"Thank you so much." Jace said and the doctor smiled and walked out. Jace moved and sat on the bed next to Clary and kept her hand in his. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine despite the dull pain." Clary said and Jace nodded. "I am really sorry Jace. I had no idea what was happening, and when I saw those two men in our house, I couldn't help but think that something bad was going to happen."

"Do you remember anything about that night?" Jace asked.

"Yea. I remember it all." Clary said.

"I think we should get the police down here. They still haven't caught those men yet, and anything you can tell them would be beneficial." Jace said and Clary nodded. Jace stepped out of the room and called the number the police gave him for when Clary woke up. They told Jace they would be there shortly, and he hung up and made his way back into the room with Clary. He took his normal seat on the chair and took Clary's hand in his once more. Clary couldn't help but smile whenever Jace took her hand in his.

"I love you Jace." Clary said after a moment and Jace looked up and smiled at her.

"I love you too Clary." Jace said and Clary took a deep breath.

"How bad is our house?" Clary asked.

"I'm not sure. I didn't want to look, but Maryse bought us a new one. She didn't want us living in that neighborhood anymore." Jace said and Clary's eyes widened a little.

"But I loved that house." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"So did I, but Maryse thought our safety was compromised, and Jocelyn agreed. They went looking together a week ago, and found a great place just 5 minutes away from our old one." Jace explained.

"How did those men get into our neighborhood in the first place?" Clary asked.

"They shot the guard. They went around the neighborhood looking for any home that was black, and you apparently didn't keep any lights on that night." Jace said and Clary nodded.

"The light in the hallway burned out and I never got around to fixing it. I was going to go out to lunch with Simon and Magnus the next day and was going to pick up an extra one on my way home. I didn't think it would be a problem." Clary said and Jace nodded. He went to open his mouth when there was a knock on the door. Two officers appeared.

"Miss. Fray, may we come in?" The one asked.

"Of course." Clary said and they entered the room and stood at the foot of her bed.

"It's good to see you awake Miss. Fray, we just have a couple questions about that night and than we'll be out of your hair." The one officer said and Clary nodded. "When you saw whoever broke into your house, did you recognize them?"

"No. It was dark so I couldn't really make out their faces all that well, but I know I've never seen them before. Their voices didn't sound familiar." Clary said.

"How many were there?" The other officer asked.

"Two men." Clary said.

"What can you describe about them?" The officer asked.

"They had an accent. I believe it was an English accent. There was a name. One of them called the other a name, but it was weird. I've never heard anything like it." Clary said. She thought back to that night as hard as she could to try and remember the name. "Pan. Panburn. Or Pangbur. Something like that."

"Pangborn?" One of the officer said and it clicked in her mind.

"Yes. That was the name." Clary said and the officers nodded.

"We've been after him and his partner for months. We didn't think it was them because they always leave a dead body behind." The officer said.

"They probably thought I was dead." Clary said.

"You lost a sufficient amount of blood. I wouldn't be surprised if they thought they had killed you." The officer said and Clary nodded. "Thank you for informing us about this Miss. Fray."

"No problem." Clary said and the officer left the room. Clary didn't like how far away Jace was and she scooted over on the bed and patted the spot next to her.

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you." Jace said and Clary laughed.

"I almost died, I've been here for who knows how long, and I want you to hold me." Clary said and Jace simply couldn't refuse. He stood up and took a seat on her bed and Clary curled into his side.

"Two weeks." Jace said.

"Huh?" Clary responded.

"You've been here for two weeks." Jace explained and Clary nodded and leaned her head on his chest. "And I've been dying to hold you since you've been in here."

"Well, you never have to let me go." Clary said and Jace pressed his lips to the top of Clary's head.

"You can guarantee that I will never let you out of my sight again." Jace said with amusement but also some seriousness to his tone. Clary didn't bother responding. She simply smiled and closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of Jace's arms, and thanking the lord that she was alive and able to be with Jace again.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Simon and Izzy were recruited into helping get Clary and Jace's new place completely furnished for when they got home. When Jace called and told them that Clary had woken up, Simon and Izzy were so incredibly relieved. It was hard seeing Clary in that hospital bed, and it was hard to see Jace so completely lost as well. Knowing that Clary was awake and getting better made everyone relax a little more.

When Simon and Izzy walked into Clary and Jace's old house, everything was still a mess, and there was a huge bloodstain on the flood. Izzy nearly threw up when seeing it, and wouldn't step foot back in there. Maryse understood and paid a company to do all the heavy lifting. Simon decided to go into Clary's art studio and pick up all her supplies, and gather all their clothes from their room. Izzy didn't know how he did it, but all she knew was she couldn't step foot back into that apartment. Simon completely understood why she couldn't go back into that place, he didn't want to either, but he wanted to help, and the sooner that their old place was emptied, the sooner their new place became their home. Simon wanted it all to be finished quickly, since him and Izzy were already spending more time home than they planned, they had to make some adjustments back up in Connecticut, and once Clary was home they were headed back up there, and they wanted to do as much as they possibly could for her before their departure.

Izzy let the decorating process flood her mind so that she could get the image of Jace and Clary's old place out of her mind. She was working with decorations, and rearranging the furniture the way she liked it. She got their room organized, and the kitchen stocked. It was really calming for her to be thrown into this project, and she didn't let anyone else help. Everyone understood that she needed this to occupy herself. She was really freaked out by seeing all the blood, and if this was what kept her calm, everyone was okay with it.

Two days later, and barely any sleep Izzy was finally done, and just in time because Jace had texted her saying that him and Clary were on their way to the apartment. Izzy took a look around and smiled to herself. She made it look almost identical to the last place, so that Clary and Jace felt at home, and that's exactly how she wanted it to feel. She couldn't imagine if something like this happened to her and Simon, and she knows moving would feel awkward, and that's exactly what she was trying to avoid with Clary and Jace. Clary already needed to continue to recover, she didn't need to have to worry about getting comfortable in another home. The front door opened and Jace and Clary walked in, Jace was carefully guiding Clary, and she looked a little uncomfortable.

"Welcome home!" Izzy said and Clary smiled at her.

"It looks exactly like the other house." Clary said as she looked around and Izzy smiled.

"That was the goal. I wanted it to still feel like your home. I know moving into a new place is weird. It took me two weeks to get used to Simon and I's home, and I didn't want you to feel awkward in a new home while you're recovering, so I thought I'd make it as similar as possible." Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"Thanks Iz. That means a lot." Clary said as she tried to make her way over to her but Izzy could tell she was struggling.

"Why don't you just sit down and rest?" Izzy suggested and Jace led Clary towards the couch. "Are you sure you should be out of the hospital? You look uncomfortable."

"I couldn't look at those white walls for another hour, and the doctor said I'd feel some discomfort moving around so much. In a week he said my body should be used to the movement again." Clary said and Izzy nodded.

"So, why didn't you use a wheelchair?" Izzy asked.

"That girl was too stubborn to sit in one at the hospital. Once the wheels hit the pavement she got up and started walking, and I wasn't going to argue because I knew I'd lose." Jace said which caused Clary to glare at him, but Izzy laughed.

"Well, I'm glad you're out of that place, and back in your home." Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"I wish we didn't have to move, I liked out old apartment, and neighborhood." Clary said and Jace smiled and put his arm around her.

"So did I, but Maryse and Jocelyn already had their minds made up." Jace said and Clary nodded.

"Seriously, you should see the security system Maryse had installed in this place, not to mention the deadbolt on your front door, and all the alarms on your windows. Mom was not messing around this time." Izzy said and Clary and Jace just laughed.

"Also, our room can turn into a mini bunker if someone does happen to get in. I made sure Maryse made it extra safe for us." Jace said and Clary looked at him. Izzy knew that Jace was worried, and she couldn't blame him.

"Don't you think that's going a little overboard Jace?" Clary asked and Jace just shook his head.

"I never want you to be harmed again Clary, and if that means we turn our bedroom into a little mini bunker that we hide out in while someone is ransacking our place, that's what I'm going to do. I never want you to end up in the hospital again unless it's for a good reason." Jace said and Clary just laughed.

"Is there even a good reason to end up in the hospital?" Izzy asked and Jace smiled.

"Absolutely. When she's having our kids." Jace said confidently and Izzy looked at Clary and her face was almost as red as her hair. Izzy couldn't help but smile. She was glad Jace found someone like Clary, and she was even more glad that Clary was home, and recovering.

"Alright you two, I'm going to let you get acquainted with your new home. Simon and I have to go back to his house, and back to mine so we can pack." Izzy said as she stood up.

"When are you two leaving?" Clary asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon. We wanted to stay long enough for you to get out of the hospital." Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"Thank you for doing all of this Izzy." Clary said and she leaned down and gave her a hug.

"It was my pleasure." Izzy said as she stood back up.

"I'll walk you out." Jace said as he got off the couch and walked Izzy to the door. Before she left Jace pulled her into a hug which she gladly reciprocated. "Thank you for everything Iz."

"You know I'd do anything for you two. I'm glad she's okay." Izzy said as they pulled apart. Jace gave her a kiss on the forehead when Simon pulled up. "Simon and I will stop by before we leave tomorrow to say goodbye."

"Sounds good." Jace said and Izzy smiled.

"Love you Jace." Izzy said and Jace smiled.

"Love you too Iz." Jace said as he walked back into the house. When he closed the door Izzy could hear the deadbolt lock. She smiled and shook her head as she made her way over to the car. She got in and leaned over the consul and gave Simon a sweet kiss.

"When we get home, we're updating our security because this is never happening to us." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Whatever you want Iz." Simon said as he took her hand. He pulled out of the neighborhood and Izzy finally took a deep breath. The last couple weeks have been trying, and it really put into perspective how unpredictable life can be. Izzy never wanted to get a call like that ever again, and she was going to make sure her and Simon were properly secured so that nobody can hurt them.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

It had been a couple weeks since the incident with Clary and Alec was sitting in his apartment waiting for Magnus to come home. It had been a crazy couple weeks, and Alec was glad that things were settling down. There was a knock on the door, and Alec was confused and got up, but when he opened the door her wasn't expecting to see Magnus's father on the other side.

"Mr. Bane, what are you doing here?" Alec asked and he pushed right by him into the apartment.

"Where is Magnus?" He asked angrily.

"He isn't here. How did you even find us?" Alec asked as he closed the door.

"I have my ways." He said as he started searching through the apartment.

"What are you looking for?" Alec asked as Magnus's father pushed papers onto the floor and started to empty drawers. Magnus's father didn't answer as he kept searching for something. "Seriously, you're destroying my house, what the hell do you want?" Alec said in a louder voice which caught Magnus's fathers attention.

"His money. I know he's making a shit ton, and I need some." He said and this coughed Alec to get pissed.

"You can't just come into our house and steal from us." Alec said and Mr. Bane looked back at Alec.

"I'm not stealing. It's a loan." He said.

"Not when it wasn't authorized." Alec said and Mr. Bane stood up, and although he was only an inch taller than Alec, he was pretty intimidating.

"Think of it as all the money Magnus owes me for the first 18 years of his life." Mr. Bane said as he started searching through more of the apartment.

"That doesn't count. That's what a father is supposed to do. Provide for his child. Magnus doesn't owe you shit." Alec said.

"I don't need a lecture from a faggot like you." Mr. Bane said and it didn't upset Alec, it just pissed him off even more.

"You need to leave before Magnus comes home. He won't be happy that you stopped by unannounced and destroyed our house." Alec said and Mr. Bane just laughed as he continued to throw things on the floor. "Seriously, get the fuck out of our apartment." Alec yelled and Mr. Bane stopped what he was doing and turned around.

"How dare you speak to me in that tone. Did your parents teach you anything about how to speak to your superiors?" Mr. Bane said in a deadly calm voice.

"Of course, but you aren't my superior. You need to leave us the hell alone." Alec said not backing down. Mr. Bane looked Alec up and down and than locked eyes with him.

"You scared I'm going to take all the money that you're already sucking up from my son? You scared he won't be able to support you?" Mr. Bane said as he walked close to Alec.

"I'm not with Magnus for his money. If you remember, we have been together since before he got discovered." Alec said.

"So why are you so afraid of me being here?" Mr. Bane said.

"Because you're toxic. You come here unannounced and just expect Magnus and I to bow down and give you whatever you need? You expect Magnus to repay you for everything you did for him growing up because you feel like he owes you? Magnus doesn't owe you shit, and he won't give it to you."

"You don't know Magnus. He's always been a sucker for his family." Mr. Bane said and Alec knew Magnus has just a kind and generous heart, but seeing as their last meeting went, Alec didn't think Magnus would give his father anything.

"I know Magnus way better than you do." Alec hissed back.

"Just because you stick your dick up his ass doesn't mean you know him better than me." Mr. Bane said and Alec was taken aback.

"You don't know the first thing about Magnus. You never cared to get to know him. The minute he wasn't your ideal son, you completely discarded him and made him feel like he was nothing." Alec spat growing more and more angry at Mr. Bane than the minute before.

"Just give me the money and I'll leave you alone." Mr. Bane said.

"Magnus doesn't have any money." Alec said and Mr. Bane looked at him with a confused expression.

"Don't lie to me boy. I know he's been the top prospect for every major designer since his time at fashion week." Mr. Bane said.

"Magnus didn't take any of their offers. He wanted to finish college first." Alec said and Mr. Bane opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by someone else.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" They heard and when they turned around Magnus stood in the doorway.

"He was just leaving. Right Mr. Bane?" Alec said and Mr. Bane glared at Alec. "I've asked you nicely, and I've demanded that you leave. If I have to ask or demand again, I'll throw you out of this apartment myself." Alec said and Mr. Bane got a wicked smirk on his face.

"I'd like to see you try." He said and before he knew it, Alec punched him right in the face. Mr. Bane stepped back before Alec kicked him as hard as he could in the stomach.

Magnus watched Alec beat the shit out of his father. If Magnus thought he was turned on by how well Alec handled the fashion agencies, he was even more turned on by how incredibly dangerous he looked. Alec punched him in the face once more and blood spewed out of his mouth as his father clutched his jaw.

"Get out of our house, and never come back." Alec spat and Magnus's father stood up and limped out of the apartment. Alec followed and slammed the door as he walked out and took a deep breath. Magnus walked over and put his hand on Alec's shoulder and Alec turned around. "I tried to get him to leave before you got back."

"What did he want?" Magnus asked.

"He wanted money." Alec said and Magnus sighed. He wasn't surprised that he had found them. He wished their last meeting was the last time Magnus ever had to see his father again, but he knew that would be too good to be true.

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with him." Magnus said and Alec smiled at him.

"I tried to be civil about it, but he wasn't having it. I didn't want to hit him, but I had no other option." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"I found that incredibly hot." Magnus said as he moved closer to Alec.

"You found me beating the shit out of your father hot?" Alec questioned and Magnus laughed.

"You looked dangerous. It was incredibly sexy." Magnus said as his voice got lower. "It took everything in me not to interrupt you and shove my tongue down your throat." He said and Alec laughed.

"Well I'm not busy now." Alec said and Magnus didn't need to hear it twice. He slammed his lips to Alec's and the messy apartment was forgotten, and so was Magnus's father. All that matter in this moment was Alec and Magnus, and that's exactly how it should be.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Hello readers, I don't know how many of you that follow, or favorited this story read my other stories, but I am suffering from a bad case of writers block. For some reason this is the only story that my creativity is flowing for, but I promise that as soon as I get inspired again I will continue on my other stories! I will never abandon any of my stories, but just be patient with me while I work through this block I have! I hope you all enjoy the next chapter of this story, because I enjoyed writing it! Let me know what you think! :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Authors Note:**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope everyone had a great night, I sure did! Anyway, like the past couple chapters, Jace plays piano! The song that inspired me for this piece was "** **Armin Van Buuren – Falling in and out of love piano cover Yaroslav Yarmak" and you should totally listen to it while reading his part! Please let me know how you feel, and leave a review! I really like where this is going, and I hope you all do to! I'm in the middle of trying to figure out the next one shot that I'm doing, so be patient with me and I'll update when I can! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty**

 **Time Jump – College Graduation**

Clary and Jace couldn't believe that they were graduating college this week. It seems like yesterday that they were moving into their own place, and starting their lives together, and now they are graduating and moving into the adult world. It was scary for both Clary and Jace, but they knew that they could do it together, just like they did everything else.

The good part about going to different colleges was that their graduations weren't on the same day, of course if they went to the same college they'd be graduating together, but it still wouldn't be the same. Clary was excited to be sitting the audience with Jace's family and watching him get that diploma that she knows he's worked incredibly hard for.

She was excited when she finally saw the students filling in the auditorium. Clary instantly started looking for Jace, and the minute he walked in, it was like a magnet, their eyes locked and she couldn't help but smile. She waved, and he waved back before he took his seat. After all the students were seated the president of Juilliard stood up to speak.

"Welcome family and friends of our fellow graduates." He started. "Today we celebrate the ending of these bright students academic studies and watch them embark on their journey into the world." He spoke and Clary couldn't be prouder of Jace. He deserved this more than anyone. "Before we begin with the rest of the speeches, I have a little treat for you all." He said and he smiled. "There is one student here in particular that has rises above everyone else and has gone above and beyond what he has been required. I love to sit in on the classes, and listen to our talented students, and the day I chose to sit in on this class truly left me awe inspired." He said, and Clary was excited to see what was happening, all it said in the little pamphlet they got was a surprise performance. "He has written and composed many pieces that have completely blown our staff away, and we all have been saying this since he started here, but this kid will go far in the music industry. He is determined, and passionate, and has a mind that understand music more than any young student I've ever met. It was truly a gift to watch him grow as a musician and see what we could rip out of him when he felt like he dried up like a raisin. This student has been working on this piece for some time now, and it will be the first time any of us have heard it, so without further ado, please welcome to the stage, Jace Lightwood." The man said and Clary's jaw hit the floor. She looked over at his family and they looked just as shocked as she was.

"Thank you. Hi, I'm Jace, and this piece has caused me many sleepless nights, but I hope you all enjoy it." He said and Clary saw him take his signature deep breath. His hands started moving along the keys, and just like always he was playing one of the most beautiful pieces of music Clary has ever heard. The president was right, Jace truly was more talented than anyone she's ever heard of and she was incredibly proud of him. When Jace was finished, the auditorium was silent for a brief second before it erupted in a roar of applause. Clary of course jumped to her feet and started clapping and hollering. She was always so awestruck when it came to his ability to piece notes together to make such a beautiful piece of music. Jace stood up and bowed before making his way back to his seat. The auditorium settled down and the president got back up.

"I told you he was a force to be reckoned with. The music that young man creates is other worldly, and it'll be amazing to see what he accomplishes in the future." The president said.

When the ceremony was over, Jace's family was waiting in the parking lot for him. Jace walked out of the building and immediately spotted Clary's red hair. He made his way over to them and scooped Clary up in his arms causing her to squeal. When he put her down and pressed his lips to her and she couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

"Why didn't you tell me you were performing?" Clary asked and Jace smiled.

"I wanted it to be a surprise." Jace said and Clary laughed.

"That it was. It was beautiful Jace." Clary said and Jace pulled her into him.

"Thank you. It took me forever to get it right." Jace said and Maryse came over and pulled him into her.

"I'm so proud of you Jace." Maryse said and Jace smiled.

"Thanks mom." Jace said which caused Maryse to tear up. Jace rarely called Maryse mom, but when he did, she always knew he truly and sincerely meant it. Clary couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. She was truly so in love with him that sometimes she didn't know how she ended up with him, but she was thankful for her life with him.

"Why don't we all go out for dinner? I know we already have a huge party planned out for when Simon and Isabelle come home, but I think after that masterpiece of a piano solo deserves some food." Maryse said and everyone nodded in agreement. Sure it was only Maryse, Robert, Jace and Clary, but they were glad to be spending this time with Jace and celebrating his accomplishments.

When dinner was over, Clary and Jace made their way back to their apartment. It had been a long day, and in just two days Clary would be graduating and it was going to be a long day, and Jace and Clary just wanted to rest. They both plopped down on the couch and were silent for a moment before Clary spoke.

"I can't believe you're a college graduate." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"It feels so weird to think of myself as a Juilliard Alumni." Jace said and Clary curled into his side.

"I'm so proud of you Jace. I knew you could do it." Clary said and Jace looked down at her and smiled.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Jace said and Clary pressed her lips to his.

"I love you." Clary said when she broke away.

"I love you too." Jace said and Clary rested her head on his chest. They sat there in the silence for who knows how long just relaxing. They had come a long way since high school, and this was honestly only the beginning for them, and they were both excited for the future.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

Today was the day that Clary was graduating and Jace couldn't be prouder of her. He knew that she put her whole entire heart into her art career at NYU, and he was so incredibly proud of all the masterpieces that she created. He knew that she cried over more pieces than she cared to admit, but that just showed how dedicated Clary was to her work. He knew she wanted to produce her best work, and he was proud of her for that.

Jocelyn and Jace were the only two at Clary's graduation. Maryse and Robert had left yesterday to get up to Connecticut for Izzy's graduation, and Jocelyn was Clary's only family.

"I can't believe she made it." Jocelyn said as they waited for the ceremony to start. "There was a time that I thought she wasn't ever going to leave her room after Jonathan, but she's come out of her gloomy shell a lot since you came into her life."

"You know I'd do anything for her." Jace said and Jocelyn smiled.

"I know, and it means the world to me to know that you are there for her when I can't be." Jocelyn said and Jace smiled. The lights dimmed and people started filing in the auditorium. Jace instantly spotted Clary, her red hair was a dead give away. No one in the world had that amazing vibrancy to her hair. Their eyes locked and Clary smiled and gave him a thumbs up which caused Jace to laugh.

The ceremony was as all college graduation are, boring. Clary was fidgeting in her seat the whole time just wanted to get that piece of paper, and get to her mom and Jace. When they finally filed out of the ceremony, Clary made her way out to the parking lot and found her mom and Jace immediately. She made her way over to them and Jace picked Clary up and spun her around. He gave her a sweet kiss before putting her back on the ground. Jocelyn walked over to her with tears in her eyes and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you baby." Jocelyn said and Clary smiled.

"Thanks mom." Clary said and Jocelyn released her.

"What do you two want to do now? It's just us." Jocelyn asked and Clary and Jace smiled.

"Why not a nice family lunch." Clary said and Jocelyn and Jace smiled.

"That sounds perfect." Jocelyn said and Jace nodded. They made their way to a restaurant between their houses so that it was inconvenient for anyone once lunch was done. Clary couldn't help but look at Jace and her mom and realize how incredibly thankful she was for those two. Her mom had always been her rock when she was younger, and Jace had become her protector later in life, and she couldn't even begin to think what her life would be like without either of them. She was happy that the two most important people in her life were there to celebrate her graduation, and it didn't even bother her that her brother and father weren't around, because they were the only family that Clary needed.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy and Simon were graduating today, and it just seemed so surreal that this moment arrived. Izzy, the girl who stuck her nose up to everything and considered herself a goddess among humans, was soon to be a Yale University Alumni, living with her insanely sweet, and handsome boyfriend who she is more in love with than she thought possible, and she couldn't be happier. She looks at the life her and Simon created for themselves and didn't know what she did to get so lucky.

Simon walked into their bedroom to grab Izzy, and get to Yale when he saw her staring at the mirror. Simon couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He was completely in love with that girl, and he couldn't wait for their future together. Simon walked over and placed his hand on Izzy's shoulder, which seemed to bring her out of her head. She looked up and smiled at Simon.

"You okay?" Simon asked and she smiled and nodded.

"Just thinking about how far I've come." Izzy said and Simon took her hand and pulled her off the chair. "I don't thank you enough Simon."

"You don't have to thank me Iz." Simon said but Izzy shook her head.

"I was headed for a life of recklessness, and who knows, that pregnancy scare that I went through could have been real because I was such an idiot. Losing everything and meeting you was such a blessing, and I can't even begin to describe how much happier I've been since you came into my life, and I just feel like I need to tell you that more." Izzy said and Simon pulled her closer to him.

"It was an honor to be picked by you Isabelle." Simon said and Izzy knew that he meant it because he called her Isabelle, and he only does that when he's serious.

"Thank you for being so incredibly patient, and not giving up on me after being so incredibly bitchy to you." Izzy said and Simon pulled her closer and gave her a sweet kiss.

"I love you Iz." Simon simply said and Izzy smiled.

"I love you too." She said.

"Now, I came in here because if we don't leave, we're going to be late, and I don't think our families would appreciate that too much." Simon said and Izzy laughed and they made their way out to their car.

Simon and Izzy didn't sit together during the ceremony. Yale divides the graduates according to major, and fashion and engineering aren't even remotely close to each other. They were disappointed, but knew they would see each other after anyway, and than the future was entirely up to them.

The ceremony was boring, and once they filed out Simon and Izzy immediately started looking for each other. Finally when they found each other Simon scooped Izzy into his arms and gave her the biggest hug possible. Izzy wrapped her arms around Simon's neck and smiled. When he put her down he pressed his lips to her briefly before pulled away.

"I'm really proud of you Iz." Simon said and Izzy couldn't help but smile.

"And I'm really proud of you." Izzy said and Simon smiled. He grabbed her hand and they started walking towards the parking lot to meet their families. When they finally did find them, Maryse pulled Izzy into a hug, as Simon's mom pulled him into a hug.

They spent the rest of the day together, talking about the party they were having when they came home for a week or two this summer, and the other graduations and family things. Simon and Izzy were both truly fortunate for how their lives turned out, and they couldn't wait to see where it went.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Magnus and Alec were out taking a walk like they liked to do in the summer, when they spotted a moving box just lying next to a dumpster. Thinking it could be some abandoned animal; they both went over to inspect it. What they didn't expect was to find a little baby inside the box. Alec and Magnus both looked at each other with concern spread all across both of their faces. Magnus looked around for someone but there was nobody around but them.

Alec bent down to see if there was any harm done to the baby, but on the outside the baby looked to be in perfect condition. Magnus bent down after finding nobody around and Alec looked over at him.

"What do we do?" Alec asked.

"I think we should take him to the hospital." Magnus said. Alec nodded thinking that it was for the best. As perfect as the little boy looked on the outside, he could be suffering inside. Magnus scooped up the baby, and cradled him gently in his arms.

They walked all the way to the hospital, and the baby was surprisingly calm, which Alec and Magnus were grateful for. They didn't have much experience in the area of parenthood, but they both knew a calm baby was better than a screaming one. When they walked into the hospital they walked up to the nurses station.

"Excuse me." Magnus said and the nurse looked up. "We found this baby in a box next to a dumpster."

"Oh dear." The nurse said as she stood up and started looking at the baby. "Was there a note or anything?"

"Nothing. It was just the baby and the box." Alec said and the nurse nodded.

"Thank you for bringing him here." The nurse said and Magnus handed him over to her. "Can I get your contact information?"

"What for?" Magnus asked confused.

"We'll have to call CPS in here, and they might want to talk to you since you found him." The nurse explained and Magnus nodded. He wrote down his name and number and handed him to the nurse. "Thank you."

Alec and Magnus left the hospital and finally made it home. Alec didn't understand why someone would leave a baby next to the dumpster like a piece of trash. It actually really bothered him that his mother or father thought that low of him. I mean, there are better options, like dropping him off at a fire station, or a hospital, or putting him up for adoption after he was born. But a dumpster? That was just cold. Magnus could tell something was bothering Alec, and when he took Alec's hand in his, Alec finally looked up into his eyes.

"What's wrong Alec?" Magnus asked.

"I can't believe someone would leave a poor defenseless baby next to a dumpster." Alec said angrily.

"Maybe the mother was a drug addict and wasn't thinking." Magnus said and that never dawned on Alec.

"But still. The poor thing is only a couple months old, leaving him in a box to fend for himself, is cruel." Alec said and Magnus nodded.

"Yes it is, but we took him to the hospital, and hopefully he ends up with a nice family." Magnus said and Alec nodded. "It's very sweet that you care so deeply Alexander. We did the right thing for that little boy."

"I know, it just doesn't sit well with me." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"Me either, but he's safe now." Magnus said and Alec nodded. "Come on, lets watch a movie and relax."

Alec agreed and they sat down on the couch and watched a movie, and Alec tried to forget about the little baby, but something about that little baby reminded him so much of when Max was a baby, and that's what upset him the most about it. It made missing Max a little harder knowing that little boy looked so similar. Alec tried to block his mind out, and focus on the movie, and it worked, but that thoughts were still nagging him more than he would have liked.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

Magnus and Alec had both gotten back from work and desperately needed a nice relaxing night together, but evidently that wasn't in the cards for them. They had just settled on the couch when Magnus's phone rang. Magnus sighed, and got up from the couch to retrieve his phone. When he looked to see who was calling, it was a unknown number, Magnus was about to just let it ring, but he decided to just stop the annoying sounds and answer it.

"Hello?" Magnus answered.

"Hello, is this Magnus Bane?" A woman asked.

"Yes. Who is this?" Magnus questioned.

"My name is Amanda, and I'm from Child Protective Services, and I was told you were the one who found the little boy and brought him to the hospital." She said and Magnus was glad he decided to answer.

"Yes." Magnus simply answered.

"I would like to meet if that's possible. I just have a few questions." Amanda said.

"When would you like to meet?" Magnus asked.

"The only time this week I have is right now." Amanda said and Magnus sighed.

"How about we meet over coffee?" Magnus suggested.

"Sounds perfect. Java Jones?" Amanda said.

"Meet there in 10 minutes." Magnus said and hung up. He made his way back over to Alec.

"Who was that?" Alec asked.

"The woman from CPS. She wants to talk." Magnus said.

"When?" Alec asked. Magnus held out his hand and Alec took it, and Magnus pulled him off the couch.

"10 minutes." Magnus said and Alec nodded. They got ready and proceeded to make their way over to the coffee shop that they frequented. When they walked in Magnus ordered their usual's and they took a seat in a booth waiting for someone to approach them. Finally a woman walked in and she looked liked she was looking for someone. She finally spotted the two and made her way over to them.

"Magnus Bane?" She asked and Magnus nodded. She smiled and took a seat on the opposite side of the booth. "And who did you bring?"

"This is my boyfriend, Alec. We actually found the baby together." Magnus explained and Amanda nodded.

"I'm Amanda, and I was assigned to the baby's case. I just have a few things I want to discuss and I'll be out of your hair." Amanda said and they nodded. "You said you found him in a box right?" Amanda asked and Magnus and Alec both nodded. "Do you happen to remember if there was anything around the box that didn't look like it belonged?"

"What do you mean?" Alec asked a little confused at the question.

"Like syringes, or pills." Amanda clarified.

"Not that we remember." Magnus started. "After we walked over Alec went to check on the child while I looked for anyone around us. We didn't really pay attention to anything around us."

"Why? Was something wrong with the baby?" Alec asked concerned.

"He was in fact born addicted to drugs." Amanda said.

"How old was he?" Alec asked.

"He was just over two months, or that's what the doctors concluded, but drugs can make everything appear different. He was also very malnourished, and the withdrawal had been extremely hard for him." Amanda said.

"That's awful." Magnus said.

"Indeed. I wish I could say this happens rarely but I've come across cases like this so frequently in my line of work." Amanda said and that just made Magnus and Alec more upset. "I know this meeting was short but I appreciate you two taking the time to meet with me."

"What's going to happen to him?" Alec asked.

"Well, he'll be in the hospital until he is completely clean of drugs, and than we'll start trying to find a family that will adopt him. His chances are a lot lower than the overage baby though, so I doubt he'll be picked. He will most likely end up in the system."

"Why is that?" Magnus asked.

"We can't lie to the families who are looking to adopt. It will be in his file that he was abandoned near a dumpster, addicted to drugs, and severely malnourished. Once potential families hear that, they are quick to say no, and move onto the next child." Amanda said.

"But he is just a baby. He didn't do those things to himself." Alec said and Amanda sighed.

"I'm not saying it's right, but he will have heal issues down the road, and families don't want to deal with that. It would one thing if it was their own child, but in this case, he wouldn't be, and if they have the chance to take on a child who is completely healthy, they'll go with that child." Amanda said and Alec couldn't get over how incredibly heartless that is. "I'm not saying it's right, every child should have the same opportunity at finding a family, but that doesn't mean these things don't happen."

"People suck." Alec said and Amanda laughed.

"I couldn't agree more. Thank you two for meeting me. I have to go, my husband was expecting me earlier but I had to meet you before i got too swamped too." She said and Magnus and Alec nodded. Amanda got up and walked out of the coffee shop.

"Alec, are you okay?" Magnus asked clearly knowing that Alec felt so strongly about this topic.

"He might never get a chance at a family because of how stupid his mother was. How is that fair?" Alec said and Magnus took his hand in his.

"It's not fair, but we can't change people." Magnus said.

"No, but we can do something about it." Alec said which caused Magnus to widen his eyes.

"What are you talking about Alec?" Magnus asked.

"You love me right?" Alec asked and Magnus nodded. "You want to be with me for the rest of you life right?" Alec asked and Magnus nodded once again. "How would you feel about helping that little boy out?"

"Alec, that is a huge responsibility." Magnus said caught off guard. Alec and him have never talked about having kids. It didn't seem like the time, but seeing Alec like this was something he'd never seen before.

"I know, but he has nobody, and he might never get anyone because of how stupid his mother was. We could change that little boys life Magnus. We could give him a home, and a life, and everything he deserves." Alec said. Magnus was taken aback by this. He saw how passionate he was about this, and that changed something in Magnus. He wanted this purely for how much Alec wanted this. Seeing Alec so passionate about this, made him want it as well. Without even answering Magnus pulled out his phone and dialed that number again.

"Hello?" Amanda answered.

"What are the odds that two gay men could adopt a baby that was abandoned by a dumpster and has a addiction to drugs?" Magnus asked and Amanda sucked in a breath.

"You're serious?" Amanda asked. Magnus looked over at Alec, and he had the biggest smile on his face.

"I'm absolutely serious." Magnus said and he heard her squeal.

"Okay, well first….." Amanda started listing everything that needed to be done in order to adopt the baby, and Magnus couldn't help but be incredibly nervous but he could see how happy this made Alec, and his happiness meant everything to him. And Alec was right, they had the opportunity to change that babies life, and Magnus couldn't help but feel incredibly compelled to do that.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

Clary and Jace had decided that after graduation they wanted to go on a vacation together. Something to celebrate their accomplishments and give themselves a little time together outside of New York. It took them forever to decide on a location to go, but they finally decided that they wanted to go to the Bahamas.

When the time came to get to the airport, Clary was frazzled. Her mom offered to take them there, but their flight was so early that Jocelyn had to sleep over, and they had to be awake before 2 am, so they made it in time for their flight. Clary didn't understand why Jace picked such an early flight, considering he didn't even like mornings, but when she asked he said he didn't want to waste a day traveling. He wanted to get there and be ready to start their vacation.

When Jocelyn dropped them off at the airport they said their goodbye's and went to their terminal. When they took a seat Clary finally took a deep breath. The morning had been chaotic, and she hadn't slept much the night before.

"I think I could fall asleep." Clary said after a moment and Jace laughed.

"You want me to get you some coffee?" Jace offered.

"Coffee sounds great." Clary said. Jace kissed her forehead and got up in search of coffee. Jace found a coffee stand relatively quick and grabbed Clary's order before heading back over to her. But when he got back to her, she was curled up on the chair sleeping. Jace couldn't help the smile on his face at how incredibly cute Clary was. He sat down next to her and held her coffee and just let her sleep. There was no reason to wake her up immediately seeing as her coffee had to cool off anyway.

Jace was especially nervous for this trip considering he was planning on proposing to Clary. He had asked Jocelyn about two weeks ago, and it took him that long to plan everything out. He got a guy down there to take lots of pictures for everyone to see when they get back. Jace was nervous, but he knew this is what he wanted, and he couldn't wait to ask her.

Her coffee finally cooled off so Jace decided to wake her up. He started to rub her arm, and he felt her starting to move. He knew Clary was a hard person to wake up, but he wasn't going to force her to wake up, and if her coffee was cold when she did wake up, he would simply get her another one. After about 10 minutes though, Clary finally started to stir. She sat up in the chair and started to rub her eyes.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I didn't realize I was that tired." She said and Jace laughed.

"No problem. Your coffee should be warm enough to drink now." Jace handed her to the cup and she took a sip.

"It's perfect." Clary said and Jace smiled. "Thank you."

"Anything for you." Jace said

They sat there for another hour before their flight was called. Jace grabbed both of their travel on bags, and Clary had their tickets. Jace splurged for first class tickets. Jace didn't think anything was too expensive for Clary, and he was happy to give her everything she ever wanted. They made their way to their seats and Clary was blown away. She had never been on an airplane before and this wasn't how she expected it to look.

"Once we're in the air, you'll forget we're on a plane." Jace said as he saw the nerves in Clary.

"Right, I just have to get over the scary part first." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"Remember, we could have gone on a cruise to the Bahamas but you didn't want too." Jace said and Clary playfully smacked him.

"I'm more terrified of boats than I am of planes." She said and they both took their seats.

The plane ride was fine. Clary wasn't as nervous once they were up in the air, but she was dreading the landing. When the pilot announced that they would be descending soon, Jace reached over and took Clary's hand in hers. She smiled as she interlocked their fingers and prepared for the fears of landing. When they got off the plane, Jace had never seen Clary look so relieved in his life, and it made him smile. They had made their way to the hotel that they were staying at to unpack and hit the beach for the day. As they unpacked their suitcases Jace couldn't stop looking at Clary. He couldn't wait to ask her to be his wife and spend the rest of their lives together. After getting a taste of it during college, there was nothing Jace wanted more.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

Clary had been having the time of her life on this vacation. Not just because this was the first time she had ever been on a real vacation, but because Jace truly made it incredibly special for her. He would take her out at night, and show her off. They went to clubs and got a little too tipsy and danced their hearts out even though neither of them danced. There was something about them being together that made them both want to do everything they would normally never do alone. Being together felt right, and Clary couldn't wait to see where their future led them.

They had gone to the beach earlier today, and when they got back to their hotel Clary decided that she needed a nap. Jace said he wanted to go for a run, and Clary was not joining him on that, so the couch is where she posted up, and fell asleep. When she woke up she thought Jace would be back, but the hotel room was empty. She walked into the bedroom and found and outfit laying on their bed. When she walked over she saw a note folded up. Clary picked up and started reading

 _Clary,_

 _I have a very special evening planned out for us tonight. Wear this and meet me in the lobby at 5. I love you._

 _Jace._

Clary couldn't get the dopey grin off her face. He was constantly finding way to surprise her, and she was really excited to see what he had planned for their magical evening together. Jace on the other hand was nervous as all hell. He knew he wanted this, and he knew this was how their relationship was always going to end, but that didn't make it any less nerve wracking. When 5 rolled around he was standing in the lobby anxiously awaiting Clary. Every time the elevator doors opened he held his breath. When she finally stepped out thought she looked even more breath taking than he imagined. The flowy green sundress, with the white sandals made her look like an angel. She had the biggest grin on her face, which caused Jace to smile even wider. She made her way over to him and leaned up and pressed her lips to his.

"Ready?" Jace asked and Clary gladly nodded. He took her hand in his and they started walking down the street. Clary had no idea where they were going, but she was excited. At first Clary thought they were going to restaurant but they had passed by every single on and that made Clary extra confused. The continued walking until they reached a pier. Jace smiled down at Clary as he saw how confused she was. When they began getting closer to the edge of the pier Clary finally understood where they were going. There was a table set up for two over looking the ocean and Clary's eyes started to water.

"Jace." She said in awe but her brain couldn't form any more words.

"Do you like it?" He asked hesitantly.

"Like it? I love it Jace." Clary said and Jace pulled her closer to him. "This is amazing. How the hell did you pull this off?" Clary asked as Jace pulled her chair out for her.

"I called like a month ago when we finally decided where we were going. I wanted to do something special for you to show how much I love you." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I love you so much." Clary said and Jace smiled.

Dinner had been absolutely perfect. They laughed and joked like they always had together and the food was absolutely delicious. But the part of the night that was freaking Jace out the most hadn't even happened yet. He was trying so hard to keep calm, but he couldn't stop some of the nerves escaping him. He dropped his fork on the ground, and nearly spilled his whole glass of wine on Clary he was so nervous. Thankfully, Clary was one of the sweetest individuals he's ever met, and she found the whole thing cute and comical.

They ended their night talking a beautiful walk on the beach at sunset. It was the most picture perfect moment they could ever hope for and Jace couldn't wait to pop the question. They had made it to their destination where Jace knew the camera man was waiting. He stopped walked and turned and faced Clary who still had the biggest smile on her face.

"Tonight has been absolutely perfect Jace." Clary said and Jace took both her hands in his.

"It's not over just yet." Jace said.

"What more could you possibly have for me?" Clary asked and Jace laughed.

"I never knew that I needed someone in my life more than I needed you." Jace started. "There was moments in my life that I thought I was never going to find someone who I could give my heart to fully, and trust that they were going to keep it safe, but the day we met, everything changed." Jace said and Clary started to get teary eyed. "You have brought so much light into my life, and I can't thank you enough for that. You have been with me through some of life's hardest obstacles, and we've always made it through stronger than when we entered." Jace said as he rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. "When I heard you were in the hospital, I thought my whole world was falling apart. I was prepared to swim across every ocean to get back to you because I needed to be with you. It made me realize that you are it for me, and I can't let another day go by without you knowing exactly how much I love you." Jace said. He released one of her hands and grabbed the ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee.

"Jace." Clary gasped and Jace smiled.

"I love you more than anything in this world Clarissa, and I will love you until the day I die, and if there is life after this, I will love you than. Will you marry me?" Jace asked and Clary had now been fully crying.

"Yes." She choked out and Jace slid the rings on her finger and pressed his lips to hers. Clary wrapped her arms around his neck and gladly kissed him back. When the broke apart Clary had the biggest smile on her face. "I love you."

"I love you too." Jace said and Clary looked down at the ring with clear eyes now. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She looked back up at Jace and smiled. Jace grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to the newest edition to her hand. They both knew this was going to be one hell of a life, but they couldn't be happier to be experiencing it together.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Simon, if we don't get on the road now, we won't make it until it's dinner time." Izzy shouted at Simon. They were heading home to visit their families, and to catch up with Jace and Clary. Izzy was dying to see the pictures of the proposal, and hear all about their adventures. Nobody besides Izzy and Jocelyn knew about the engagement. Jace called her freaking out about an outfit for Clary, and eventually Izzy beat it out of him, and it's been hard keeping this secret, but she was super excited for them.

"I'm coming, and we'll be just fine." Simon said as he entered the room.

"I don't know why we are leaving so late. We might hit traffic." Izzy said as they made their way to the car.

"It won't be that bad Iz." Simon said as they pulled out of their driveway. Izzy hoped for Simon's sake they made it to her parents house in the 2 hours it takes to get there, or she was no going to be happy.

 **Time Jump – Four Hours Later**

"I am so unhappy with you." Izzy said as they sat in stand still traffic.

"How was I supposed to know we'd be stuck behind a 6 car pile up? I can't predict when people are going to be stupid." Simon said trying to get Izzy out of her mood.

"I wanted to leave this morning, but noooooo. You just had to wait until 3 in the afternoon because you wanted to work a half day." Izzy said as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry my job isn't as flexible as yours." Simon responded.

"Maybe you should get a different job." Izzy muttered.

"Sorry that NASA isn't a good enough job for you." Simon said with annoyance in his voice. "A lot of people find what I do incredibly challenging, and quite and accomplishment, it would be nice if my girlfriend thought the same." Simon said and Izzy looked over at him and realized that she was being a bitch to him.

"You know I think you are incredibly talented Simon. And you know how incredibly proud I was when you got this job." Izzy said as she reached over the center consul and placed her hand on his thigh. "I didn't mean to come off as resentful for all the hard work you put into getting your degree and the work that you do. I just really want to see my family, so I wanted to get there as soon as possible."

"I understand that Iz, but I had no choice. I had to work today." Simon said.

"But why?" Izzy asked. Simon never had conflicts when it came to time off at his job, and it was strange that this one time that he did.

"I wasn't going to tell you this, but they asked me to work on a ridiculously cool project that helps send a robot into space and collect data. It's a high profile job, and only 6 of us were picked." Simon said and Izzy's heart nearly leap out of her chest. "It's going to take us some time to get everything ready for it to be launched in space, but out of all the people, I was chosen, and since it's a special project, I can't dictate my own hours that I work, and I'm scheduled to work on your birthday."

"We were going to come home." Izzy said a little upset.

"I know, which is why I worked today. Your birthday falls on a holiday, but I would have to take one day off in order to leave when you want too, and nothing is more important than your birthday, so I started my portion early, so the rest of the team can use it while I'm gone. It took me longer than I anticipated, which is why I needed to work today. I had to finish it otherwise I wouldn't be able to take that one day." Simon explained.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?" Izzy said and Simon looked over and smiled at her.

"You tell me everyday." Simon said and Izzy leaned over and gave him a sweet kiss.

"I am so incredibly proud of you Simon. This is huge, and there isn't anyone else out there who deserves it more than you." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

Another 45 minutes went by before they started to move, but at that point Izzy didn't care, they would get to her parents when they did, it wasn't going to hurt anyone if they made it there 2 hours ago, or by midnight. Izzy just couldn't believe the news that Simon shared with her. She was incredibly proud of him and more in love than she ever thought was possible, and that meant everything to her.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec and Magnus had met with Amanda on several more occasions to discuss the adoption of the little baby boy. It seemed so surreal that this was happening, but Alec and Magnus couldn't wait. The closer it got, the more real it felt, and the more it excited both of them to be fathers.

They hadn't told any of their family members yet because they wanted it to be finalized before anything happened. They didn't want to get their hopes up until they knew that the little boy was theirs. Alec knew his parents would be supportive, I mean he hoped they were, but this was something Alec and Magnus both cared so passionately about that it didn't matter about others opinions. Alec and Magnus were sitting in the waiting room where Amanda worked waiting to be called back. Alec's knee was bouncing up and down, and his palms were sweating.

"Alexander, calm down." Magnus said as he placed his hand on Alec's knee.

"I'm sorry, it's just nerve wracking." Alec said.

"We don't know what this meeting is about, so we have to be open minded." Magnus said and Alec nodded.

"I know, but what if everything fell through?" Alec asked.

"We won't know until we speak with Amanda, but getting worked up over this isn't going to do you any good." Magnus said and Alec took a deep calming breath.

"Alec, and Magnus." Amanda called and they both stood up and made their way into her office. They took a seat, and Alec was gripping Magnus's hand tighter than Magnus would have liked, but he knew he was nervous. "I have some news."

"Oh I knew it. We aren't getting him." Alec said before Amanda could continue.

"Alexander, she didn't even tell us anything." Magnus said.

"I already know what's coming. Nobody wants two men raising a baby. People are so afraid that gayness rubs off on people. Well let me tell you, I was gay without anyone rubbing on me." Alec said and than realized how wrong that sounded. "I would like to take that sentence back." He said as Magnus and Amanda started to laugh.

"Why don't we just hear her out Alexander?" Magnus suggested.

"Why? I don't want to be crushed." Alec said and he looked at Amanda. "If it's because we aren't married, we can get married. That's not a problem."

"Whoa." Magnus cut him off. "Why don't you just calm down Alexander. She hasn't told us anything, and you're jumping to every possible conclusion." Magnus said and Alec looked at him.

"You don't want to marry me?" Alec asked and Magnus laughed.

"I would love to marry you darling, but I would prefer the proposal be a little more romantic, perhaps with some glitter." Magnus said and Alec glared at him.

"You know I don't use glitter Magnus." Alec said and Magnus waved him off and looked back at Amanda.

"What is the news you have for us Amanda?" Magnus asked and Amanda laughed.

"I was actually going to say that the last step is giving the little boy a name, and he's all yours." Amanda said and Alec sucked in a breath.

"He's ours?" Alec said and Amanda smiled and nodded.

"Just fill out this form, and I'll go get him." Amanda said as she handed a piece of paper to Alec and Magnus. She stood up and left the room. Alec looked at Magnus and couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.

"What are we going to name him?" Alec asked after a moment and Magnus smiled.

"Maxwell." Magnus said and Alec's eyes welled up with tears. "I think it's the perfect name for him."

"Maxwell, I like it." Alec said as he put that name down. "What about a middle name?" Alec asked.

"Well, is there anyone else important in your life that you'd like to name him after, because I have nobody, and after that they're just names." Magnus said and Alec thought about it for a minute.

"Jonathan." Alec said and Magnus looked at him. "That's Jace's real name. He's been my best friend and brother for as long as I can remember, and I don't know where I'd be without him." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"Maxwell Jonathan Lightwood." Magnus said and Alec looked at him. "I like it."

"It's missing something." Alec said as he scribbled something down. Magnus looked over his shoulder.

"Lightwood-Bane." Magnus read and he looked up at Alec.

"You're as much his father as I am." Alec said and Magnus couldn't stop himself from pressing his lips to his. When the broke apart Amanda walked back into the room with a blue bundle. Alec and Magnus stood up and Amanda walked towards them. She smiled at them before handing the baby over to Alec.

"Did we come up with a name?" Amanda asked and Magnus smiled at her.

"We'd like to introduce you to Maxwell Jonathan Lightwood-Bane." Magnus said and Amanda smiled.

"Welcome home little guy." Alec said to the baby who giggled as he played with Alec's finger. Magnus looked down at their son and couldn't help but smile.

"His eyes looked like blueberries." Magnus said and Alec laughed. "He's our little blueberry."

"He's ours." Alec said and Magnus wrapped his arm around Alec.

"Yea he is." Magnus said.

"I wish you guys nothing but happiness." Amanda said and Alec and Magnus smiled at her.

"Thank you for everything you've done Amanda." Alec said and she smiled.

"Thank you for giving this precious little boy a home." Amanda said and they both looked at Max. He was nothing but smiles, and they couldn't be happier with the newest addition to their family.

Magnus and Alec left the office with Max and when they got him in the car they took a breath. Magnus looked at Alec, and Alec looked back. They smiled at each other, and leaned forwards and kissed.

"I can't believe he's ours." Magnus said when they broke apart.

"Me either." Alec said as Max giggled. They both looked back at smiled at their little boy.

"We should tell your family." Magnus said and Alec nodded. He pulled out his family and dialed his mothers number.

"Alexander, how are you?" She greeted and Alec smiled.

"I'm good mom. Listen, Magnus and I have to tell you something, is everyone home?" Alec asked.

"Yes, Jace and Clary got back from their trip and stopped by and Simon and Isabelle arrived last night." His mom said.

"Okay, Magnus and I will be over in 10 minutes." Alec said and hung up. "Ready?" Alec asked and Magnus smiled and nodded.

They made it to the Lightwood house in about 10 minutes and they had agreed that Alec would go in first and tell them the news and Magnus would wait until then to bring in Max. They didn't just want to show up with a baby, and surprise everyone. They wanted to tell them, and let it sink in before introducing Max. Alec walked in and followed the sound of the voices. When he got into the living room he saw his family smiled and talking away. He cleared his throat and everyone turned towards him.

"Alexander, I thought Magnus was coming with you?" His mom asked.

"He's outside. I wanted to come in and tell you first." Alec said.

"You're engaged!" Izzy shouted out and I laughed.

"No, we aren't." I said and she sunk down into the couch and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Than what could possibly be the news?" His father asked.

"Magnus and I have brought our relationship to the next level but not with marriage." Alec explained. "A couple weeks ago Magnus and I were out taking a walk when we found a baby abandoned in a box. We took him to the hospital so he would be safe, and left. The nurse asked Magnus for his contact information because CPS was going to have to ask us questions." Alec continued. "A couple days later a woman named Amanda called and asked to meet us. We went and answered her questions, and I asked what was going to happen to the little boy, and she said he would most likely be put in the system because he was born addicted to drugs, and no family wants to deal with those health issues." Alec said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Long story short, Magnus and I decided to adopt him." Simultaneously all of their jaws dropped. It was quiet for a moment before Alec texted Magnus. A second alter the front for opened and closed. Magnus was by his side with a joyful baby Max. The presence of the baby seemed to snap everyone out of their shocked state.

"You adopted him?" His mom finally asked and Alec nodded. She got up and walked over to them. Max giggled at her and hers eyes softened. "May I?" She asked and Magnus gave the baby over to her, and he instantly liked her. "What's his name?"

"Maxwell Jonathan Lightwood-Bane." Alec said and his mom's eyes watered. The baby giggled once again and Maryse smiled.

"He's precious." Maryse said as she cooed at the baby.

"Yea, we thought so too." Alec said as he grabbed his son's hand.

"You two are ready to be parents?" Maryse asked and Alec and Magnus smiled.

"It's all we ever wanted since we rescued this little guy." Alec said and Max giggled again. "Which brings me to another point, Izzy, Jace, how would you like to be his godparents?"

"You seriously want to trust your kids life with me if both of you die?" Jace said which caused Clary to elbow him in the ribs. "I mean, yea sounds fun."

"Don't worry, he's really thrilled on the inside." Clary said and everyone laughed.

"She's the reason we trust you with our son's life." Magnus said.

"That's going to have to get some getting used too." Robert said and Magnus and Alec laughed.

"Trust us, we're going to have to get used to saying it." Alec said.

Alec, Magnus and Max stayed at the Lightwoods until after dinner so everyone could have their chance to bond with Max. Alec was really happy with how well his family had accepted him and Magnus's decision to adopt him, and he was so happy that they all instantly loved him just like Magnus and Alec did. They both knew that it was going to be a hard road, but they couldn't wait to embark on it together as a family.


	22. Chapter 22

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, I took forever on this chapter, and it isn't even that long, but I lost my momentum, and when it finally came back, I had lost what I wanted for this story, so I hope that you enjoy what I came up with! The next chapter will hopefully be longer, so just bare with me! It might take me some time! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Two**

Planning a wedding was way more stressful than both Jace and Clary thought. Of course Maryse and Izzy were all about it, and Jocelyn was putting her two cents in, but Clary just felt incredibly overwhelmed. Izzy was constantly texting her about details, and if Clary didn't answer within 2 minutes she would text Jace, and if he didn't answer, she would call. The girl was relentless and sometimes Clary would wish that she would give it up.

Clary and Jace were sitting on the couch on Saturday just enjoying their time together without the stress of wedding planning. Clary was happy that she didn't have to answer any questions about table settings, or flower arrangements, or a seating chart. She was completely blissed out sitting in Jace's arms until her phone starting ringing. At first she ignored it, but it kept going, and going, and going until Jace couldn't take it anymore. He got up and grabbed her phone.

"What do you want Izzy?" He asked.

"Clary hasn't been answering her phone. I need to know a date, and where you want to get married so I can start looking for a venue." Izzy said.

"We are taking the weekend off. We don't want to plan our wedding. You're stressing Clary out. And frankly I'm so sick of hearing your voice every day!" Jace said angrily.

"You don't have to be such a dick Jace." Izzy said and Jace hung his head.

"I'm sorry, but you really are stressing her out." Jace said.

"Your wedding is important." Izzy said.

"We know that, but instead of planning your own wedding, why don't you plan something that Clary and I would like." Jace suggested.

"You two are soo boring though." She said and Jace laughed.

"Maybe, but that's who we are. Clary and I might be boring to you, but we're just simple people. Can't you plan a wedding that reflects that?" Jace asked and he heard Izzy sigh.

"I guess, but Monday I expect Clary to call me and tell me exactly what she wants. And a date! That's the most important part!" Izzy said.

"Of course Iz. On Monday Clary will call, but as for the rest of the weekend, our phones will be off. So don't try to call." Jace said.

"Will do." Izzy said and Jace hung up. He made his way back to the couch and cuddled back with Clary.

"Everything okay?" Clary asked and Jace smiled.

"We will be Izzy free for the rest of the weekend." Jace said and Clary laughed. "But she wants you to pick a date."

"October 22nd." Clary said without thinking.

"Why October 22nd?" Jace asked.

"That was the first day we met." Clary said and Jace smiled. It was the day he got detention and Jace found her in the art room lost in her painting.

"How did you remember the exact date?" Jace asked with a laugh.

"It was an important date to me." Clary said as she sat up. "It was a strange day because who would have thought you and I would have friends, let alone more than friends." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"You definitely weren't on my radar, but I fully accepted you entering my life." Jace said and Clary laughed. "That detention was totally worth it."

"I've never been more appreciative of detention in my whole life!" Clary said and Jace laughed.

"Me either." Jace said and he kissed Clary. He definitely did owe that detention to the life that he had with Clary, because who knows if they would have met without it, and he couldn't picture life without her.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Ugh, I don't want to go." Izzy told Simon as she looked at the paperwork for their high school reunion.

"If you don't want to go, you don't have too." Simon said.

"But I always dreamed about my high school reunion." Izzy pouted and Simon grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap.

"Than let's go." Simon said.

"Do you think Jace and Clary will go?" Izzy asked.

"Who knows. They've been pretty secluded since they got married." Simon said and Izzy nodded. Izzy spent so long getting their wedding together, and when the day came, it was so incredibly beautiful. Izzy was super proud of Jace, and so happy to finally have another sister. They went on a 2 week long honeymoon, and have barely spoken to anyone. They're still in their honeymoon phase of their marriage though, and Izzy couldn't blame them.

"I'll call her tomorrow and find out." Izzy said and Simon nodded and kissed her.

"You aren't a teenager anymore Iz, don't let those low life girls get into your head again." Simon said and Izzy nodded. Izzy went to bed thinking about what Simon had said, and he was right. What happened in high school happened so long ago, and she was over it. It lead her to Simon, and for that she was grateful, but she still didn't know if after all these years she would actually punch Aline in the face for the hurtful things she said about her family.

When Izzy woke up the next morning Simon was already gone. He had been working so incredibly hard on that special project, and she couldn't be more proud of him. Izzy got herself together, but she didn't intend on leaving the couch today. She didn't have work, and she was loving ever minute of it. She decided to put off the inevitable and call Clary.

"Hello?" Clary answer after a couple rings.

"Hey Clare. How are you?" Izzy asked.

"I'm good. You?" Clary asked.

"I'm alright. How's married life?" Izzy asked delaying the real reason she called.

"The same as it was before except now I can introduce myself as Mrs. Lightwood." Clary said with a laugh, which made Izzy smile. "What's the real reason for your call Iz?"

"I was wondering if you and Jace were going to our high school reunion." Izzy finally got out.

"Yea. Are you and Simon?" Clary asked.

"Simon says it's up to me, but I didn't know if I really wanted to face all those people again." Izzy admitted.

"Understandable, but I think it will be fun." Clary said and Izzy nodded.

"I just don't really want to face all those bitches again." Izzy said.

"I understand that, but take the high road girl. You are living your dream in Connecticut with the man of your dreams. Show them you rose above and made something of yourself." Clary said and Izzy knew she was right.

"You're right. Mind if Simon and I crash with you while we're in town?" Izzy asked.

"Not at all. You're always welcome." Clary said which made Izzy smiled.

"Alright, well I'll let you get back to being blissfully married." Izzy said and she heard Clary laugh.

"Let me know what day you're coming in." Clary said.

"Will do. Bye Clare." Izzy said.

"Bye Iz." Clary said and she hung up.

Izzy put her phone down and started cleaning up the house, and occupying her time. When Simon got home Izzy just finished ordering dinner, because she wasn't going to burn their house down. Simon looked completely drained so he went straight to the couch and let out a sigh. Izzy walked over and sat next to him.

"Long day?" Izzy asked.

"This project is a nightmare. It's like nothing is getting accomplished." He said and Izzy put her hand on top of his.

"I just ordered Chinese." She said with a smile and Simon smiled back.

"You're the best." Simon said as he leaned over and gave Izzy a sweet kiss. "Did you call Clary?"

"Yes, and her and Jace are going, and she kinda talked me into it. She said the same thing you did. High school was a long time ago, and I'm not going to let them ruin my high school reunion." Izzy said and Simon smiled at her.

"Good for you." Simon said.

"Clary said we could stay with them while we're in." Izzy said and Simon nodded. "Are you going to be able to get time off?"

"I already talked to the team, and the boss. I'm all good to go." Simon said and Izzy nodded. She was excited for the reunion, especially because her life did turn out incredibly good, but she didn't know how she was going to feel when she saw those girls again.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Max, you have to stop crying buddy." Alec cooed at the little baby. He was 8 months old, and he had a little cold, which he wasn't handling well. "I don't know what else to do Max." Alec whispered to his crying son. It had been a long couple days for Max, and it absolutely broke Alec's heart that he couldn't do anything for him. It didn't help that Magnus had been away all week consulting with designers.

After a couple moments of rocking Max, he noticed that he had started to calm down. He looked down at his precious son and realized that he was sleeping, and it took everything in him not to break out into a little happy dance. Not wanting to disturb his peaceful sleep, Alec walked out to the living room and took a seat on the couch, careful not to disturb Max sleeping on his chest. Once he sat down and leaned back on the couch he felt his eyes starting to get heavy. He looked down at Max, who was completely content in his fathers arms, and decided to get a little sleep.

Magnus was incredibly glad to be coming home. He didn't realize how much he was going to miss Max and Alec, and being away from them for a week was horrible. He especially felt back because Alec told him that Max had been sick, and he felt horrible that he wasn't there for him. It was early in the morning when Magnus finally got back to his place, and he was careful not to make too much noise when opening the front door. After carefully opening and closing the door without too much noise, Magnus was greeted with an amazing sight. There was Alec, sleeping on the couch with Max curled on his chest. It made Magnus's heart swell, and he couldn't help but stare at his partner, and his son. It was everything that Magnus wanted and needed in life, and he felt damn lucky that he had it. Magnus walked over and pressed a sweet kiss on Max and than another one on Alec, which woke Alec slightly.

"What are you doing home so early?" Alec asked in that sexy sleepy voice Magnus loved so much.

"I took the first plane out after my last meeting. I wanted to be home with you two." Magnus said as he rubbed Max's back. "How's he doing?"

"He was crying his lips off last night, but after a started rocking him he calmed down. He's been asleep since about 3." Alec explained.

"I hate that this little guy is sick." Magnus said while looking at his precious son.

"It's heartbreaking." Alec agreed. "Would you like to hold him for awhile. I need a shower, and than I'll make some breakfast."

"That sounds amazing darling." Magnus said and Alec smiled. He handed Max over, to which he stirred a little but once he was situated on Magnus's chest he was calm once again.

Magnus stayed on that couch until Alec was finished with breakfast, but event than Alec brought it to him, so that he didn't disturb Max. Magnus and Alec would do anything for their little boy, and if eating breakfast on the couch while your baby sleeps on your chest is what they have to do, than so be it, because nothing in the world matter more than Max.

"I love you." Magnus said after sometime and Alec smiled.

"I love you too." Alec responded as he kissed Magnus's cheek. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Max's head, which caused him to wake. Thankfully though, he didn't start crying. He sat up and made eye contact with Magnus and than looked at Alec and started giggling. Alec couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. It was the first time he had heard Max giggle in a few days, and it was music to his ears.


	23. Chapter 23

**Authors Note:**

 **I am so sorry this took me so long, but I had ideas about where I wanted to take it, but I never got a great concept of how to write it out, but since I had a snow day today, I thought it was perfect, and my creative juices flowing. I think it's because I'm watching Face Off, anyone else a fan, because I seriously think it's my favorite reality TV show ever! If you've never seen it, I advise you to check it out, it's great! Alright, enough with advertising! Let me know what to think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Three**

Simon and Izzy were coming down in a couple days and Clary felt absolutely miserable. She had no idea why because she didn't have a fever, or anything but she could barely keep anything down. Clary checked her phone and she realized that her period was nearly 8 days late. Panic flooded through her, and she grabbed her keys, and made her way to the drugstore. When she got there she grabbed 6 different pregnancy tests, all different brands. When she got home she locked herself in the bathroom and began peeing on each stick. She had no idea if they were all going to be negative and basically tell her she's paranoid, or they were all going to say positive, and she was having a baby, both were frightening, and slightly exhilarating.

Jace got home after a long day in the studio. He had been working closely with a producer who wanted him to collaborate on a piece he wanted in a movie. Jace was thrilled when he got the call, but the days were grueling, and sometimes he didn't get home until after midnight. Thankfully, or not so thankfully, the producers daughter was sick, so he cut the meeting short, and Jace was happy to be getting home before dinner. When he walked into the house and into the living room it was weird that she wasn't in the kitchen or in the living room.

"Clary!" Jace called out. "Where are you?" He asked.

"Bathroom." He heard Clary shout. He made his way into their bedroom and opened the bathroom door and found Clary sitting on the floor, surrounded by pregnancy tests, and tears running down her face.

"What's this?" Jace asked nervously.

"Our future." Clary said and Jace leaned down and looked at the tests. All six of them were positive.

"You're serious?" Jace asked and Clary simply nodded. "Holy shit."

"I know." Clary said, and than it was silent. Jace didn't know what to say, this was incredible. "Are you upset?" Clary said after a moment.

"Upset? Why would I be upset?" Jace asked confused.

"You haven't said anything else, so I just assumed." Clary said hesitantly. Jace kneeled down in front of her, and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"I'm processing." Jace said. "You're pregnant. With my child. I don't think you understand how incredible that is to me."

"Really?" Clary asked and Jace laughed.

"Really Clary. I can't tell you how crazy it is that you're going to have a baby. My baby. Our baby." Jace said with a smiled and Clary laughed. "I love you."

"I love you too." Clary said. Jace helped her off the ground and than pulled her into a kiss.

"When do you want to tell everyone?" Jace asked.

"Everyone will be together for Max's birthday party. Seems like the perfect time." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"Sounds perfect." Jace said and he pulled Clary into a hug. Starting a family had been something Jace knew he always wanted. He never expected he'd ever find someone who he truly wanted to create life with, but with Clary is was just so natural for him to want her to have his children, and now that it was happening, he couldn't be more excited.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. She was nervous about tonight, and she couldn't get the knots out of her stomach. Seeing all these people again, wasn't going to bring back great memories, but she needed to face this. To show them all she is thriving, and that's all that was getting her through tonight, well that and Simon.

There was a knock on the door and when Izzy turned around Simon was standing there looking as good as he always did. He made his way into the room and Izzy couldn't help but smile. He made his way over to Izzy and gave her a sweet kiss.

"You ready?" He asked when they broke apart and Izzy laughed.

"I don't know. I'm kinda a mix of a lot of emotions right now." Izzy admitted.

"No matter what they say tonight, in a week, we will be back in Connecticut, living our life, happy, and in love, and they'll still be petty." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"You're right." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"I am a engineer for NASA, being right is kinda my job." He said and Izzy laughed. He took her hand and they made their way downstairs where they saw Clary and Jace embracing. Both of them had huge smiles on their faces, and Izzy could just tell that they were without a doubt still in their honeymoon phase of marriage.

"We get that you two are married, but the honeymoon ended like months ago." Izzy said and Jace and Clary turned their attention to them.

"The honeymoon phase doesn't really have to go away." Jace explained. "It's not like getting married made us less attracted to each other. In fact, I've never been more attracted to Clary in my life."

"Gross." Izzy said with a humorous gag, and Jace and Clary laughed.

"Come on, we're going to be late if we don't leave now." Clary said as she grabbed the keys. "I'll be DD tonight, so if you need tons of alcohol to get you through tonight, open a tab at the bar." Clary said to Izzy and she laughed. As much as Izzy didn't want to admit it, Clary was right, if tonight went south, alcohol might be her only method of survival.

Clary pulled up to the hotel where the high school reunion was taking place and parked. Everyone got out, and Jace took ahold of Clary's hand and started walking. Simon did the same with Izzy but gave her a reassuring squeeze. They made their way inside, and the moment they walked in, Izzy spotted the girls who made her senior year hell. It was almost like she had some type of radar that made it impossible to miss them.

Izzy took a deep breath, and they continued to make their way into the dinning hall. This reunion was pretty top notch, they were getting dinner, and the bar was an open bar for the first two hours of the night, which Izzy thought was strange but enjoyed that she could get as much free booze as she could handle in that amount of time. Dinner wasn't until 6, and it was only 5:30, so they had some time ti kill before they needed to be seated. Jace and Clary were off talking to a bunch of buddies that Jace played sports with in high school, and Simon had found some of his nerd friends from high school, and Izzy decided to tag along and get to know them since she didn't really get the chance too in high school.

"How is life Eric?" Simon asked his friend.

"Pretty good." Eric said with a smile. "Got married last year. Her name is Cathy."

"Is she here?" Simon asked.

"No, she has the flu." Eric explained. Simon saw Izzy making her way over to him and he couldn't help but smile. "You two still together?" Eric asked. Simon simply nodded. "Good for you."

"Hey." Izzy said when she finally got to Simon. He smiled and gave her a sweet kiss.

"I don't think you two have ever actually met." Simon said as he looked between Izzy and Eric.

"Not officially." Eric said. "I'm Eric."

"Izzy." She said as she stuck her hand out and Eric gladly took it. "How do you two know each other?"

"We were in a band together." Eric said much to Simon's embarrassment.

"That's cool." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"We thought so at the time." Simon explained. "We thought it would get us a lot of girls."

"And did it?" Izzy asked.

"We found at early on that we actually had to be good in order for girls to pay attention to us." Simon said and Izzy laughed. "Mostly it was just an excuse for us to spend hours together after school and avoid our homework."

"Ah. Makes sense." Izzy said.

"It was fun though. We got a few gigs." Eric said. "Although we were never invited back."

"Because we lost them business." Simon said and Eric laughed.

"That we did." Eric said. His phone started buzzing and Eric took it out of his pocket and looked at Simon. "It's Cathy, I should probably take this."

"Of course. It was great catching up man." Simon said and than Eric was gone. "I didn't realize how much I missed that kid."

"You two seemed close." Izzy observed.

"Besides Clary, those guys in the bad were my only other friends. After we graduated we all just got so busy, keeping in touch was hard." Simon explained. They started making their way to their table where Clary and Jace were standing and talking. Izzy was about to speak when they were interrupted by a voice they never wanted to hear again.

"I'm surprised you came tonight." Aline said and Izzy turned and faced her. "Still with the nerd? Figures you'd settle for the one guy who still wanted you after everything you did." Aline said and Izzy was about to say something when she kept going. "Still with the freak Jace? I thought you would have dumped her ages ago."

"It's Mrs. Freak to you." Clary said as she held up her left hand and Aline seemed shocked. "And what are you doing here. You got expelled."

"Turns out if you harass the right people for long enough, they give into you just to shut you up." Aline said. "I deserve to be here. You're the one who should have been expelled for breaking my nose."

"You wanna go for a second round? I'll break that pretty little nose job you got in a heartbeat." Clary said as Jace held her back. Izzy knew Clary would do it again, but Aline wasn't worth it, she never has been.

"Why did you come over here Aline?" Izzy asked.

"To catch up with an old friend." She said in fake voice.

"We aren't friends Aline." Izzy said. "You just came over here to force yourself into our lives. We don't care about you. Leave us alone." Izzy said and Aline looked genuinely offended, which made Izzy happy.

"You never really were worth much anyway." Aline said in her normal judgey tone.

"You're still living in high school Aline." Izzy stated. "You think we care about everything that happened all those years ago?" Izzy asked and Aline was quiet. "We moved on. You can clearly see that. Jace and Clary are married, Simon is doing extraordinary things in his career, and I got invited to attend New York Fashion Week with my boss and meet with huge designers. We grew up, and we moved on." Izzy said. "Maybe it's time you did the same."

"Whatever freak." Aline said as she turned away but Izzy wasn't quite done with her yet.

"Oh, and as for all the shit you said to me in high school." Izzy said and Aline turned around. "I may have been a little slutty, but that in no way defines my character, and I'm not a murderer either. I was hit by that drunk driver, and my little brother paid the ultimate price. Jace wasn't a charity case. We accepted him into our home because we love him, and wanted him." Izzy said. "And Alec, well what you said about him his inexcusable. It doesn't matter who he loves, because he's happy. He is in a relationship with an amazing guy, and they have the cutest little baby I've ever seen. The fact that you can't help but poke at their sexuality simply because you're too afraid to accept yours is a really rotten thing for you to do." Izzy said and Simon couldn't have been more proud of her. He knew she needed to say all those things. She needed to stick up for herself and Simon was incredibly proud that she did it.

"I am so proud of you." Simon whispered in her ear.

"That was awesome." Clary said with a big smile on her face. "If I wasn't pregnant I would totally take a victory shot with you." Clary said and Izzy's eyes widened.

"You're pregnant?" Izzy nearly shouted and Clary just smiled and nodded. "When did you find out?"

"A couple days before you came down for the reunion. I wanted to keep it a secret and tell everyone together when we were at Max's birthday party, but I guess I'm just too excited." Clary said and Izzy pulled her into a huge hug.

"I can't believe you're pregnant." Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"I don't think anyone can really believe it yet." Clary said. "Jace still has a hard time believe I'm growing his child." Clary said as her hands rested on her belly.

"This is so exciting, and Max now has a little cousin." Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"It's probably the greatest thing that's ever happened to me." Clary said.

"Hey, you married me." Jace said and Izzy laughed.

"Babe, I'm growing a human, that's pretty damn awesome." Clary said and Jace leaned down and kissed her.

"That it is." Jace said as his hand rested on her belly. Izzy smiled at the two and couldn't help but be happy. Simon came and wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into him. She didn't want to come to this thing at first, confronting those girls was something she never wanted to do, but in this moment, she was happy she finally got to tell Aline exactly how she feels about what happened all those years ago. Izzy loved her life, and nothing Aline said was ever going to change that.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Today was the day that Max turned 1, and Magnus and Alec couldn't believe that he was already a year old. It seemed like just yesterday that they brought him home, but they loved every minute of it.

Magnus thought that Max was growing up way too fast. He learned how to walk last week, and Magnus nearly cried. Parents didn't lie when they said that they grow up so fast, and Magnus wasn't sure he liked just how fast Max was growing up. Everyone was coming over today to celebrate, and Alec and Magnus couldn't wait to see everyone. Especially since Izzy, Simon, Jace, and Clary had their high school reunion and Alec and Magnus couldn't wait to hear all about it.

"Where is my favorite grandbaby?" Maryse asked the minute Alec opened the door and Alec smiled.

"He's your only grandchild mom. He has to be your favorite." Alec said and Maryse laughed as she picked Max up.

"Not true, but he is the cutest little baby ever, and he's just so happy. I can't not love him." Maryse said and Max laughed.

"Trust me, I know." Alec said as he looked at his son and mother.

"Where is Magnus?" Maryse asked after a moment.

"He had to grab a few more things. Clary called and said she invited Jocelyn, and Magnus wanted to make sure he had wine that she enjoyed." Alec said with a laugh.

"He's a fabulous host." Maryse said and Alec smiled.

"It's one of his many talents." Alec said. Maryse set Max down, and he ran into the living room and started playing with his toys. Maryse, Alec, and Robert all took a seat and started talking about what was going on in their life when the door opened and in walked Magnus.

"Papa!" Max yelled and Magnus smiled.

"Hi blueberry." Magnus said as he set down the wine and made his way over to Max. It was no secret that Max had Magnus wrapped around his little finger. Magnus couldn't seem to ever deny that boy anything he ever wanted, and Alec couldn't really blame him. "Maryse, Robert, wonderful to see you both."

"You as well Magnus." Robert said.

They all sat around and talked until the whole crew showed up. Clary and Izzy immediately made their way over to Max, which didn't surprise either Alec or Magnus. Max loved his aunts, and he loved the female attention. Jace and Simon made their way into the living room and greeted everyone. Alec couldn't help but notice the way Jace was looking at Clary while playing with Max. He seemed exceptionally giddy, and that didn't surprise Alec, since that's always how Clary made Jace, but something was up, he knew that much.

Once Jocelyn arrived, the party really started. And by party, it was the adults drinking while giving Max a million presents. As many times as Alec and Magnus told everyone that he didn't need any presents, they all couldn't resist. He was the first baby in this family in years, and they were all incredibly anxious to buy baby things.

"I know you said no presents." Maryse started. "And I also knew that Izzy would go overboard, so I thought I'd respect your wishes and not buy him anything." Maryse said but stopped suddenly. "I was searching for something in the basement when I came across this." Maryse said as she handed the bag over to Alec and Magnus. Alec reached in and pulled out a blanket that had Maxwell Lightwood embroidered on it.

"Max's baby blanket." Alec said as he recognized the piece of cloth.

"When Max turned 5 he claimed he was 'too cool for school' to have it anymore, and that he was a big boy now." Maryse said with a laugh. "I thought it was appropriate to pass down to the next generation of Lightwood's." Maryse said.

"It's perfect mom." Alec said.

"I would have embroidered Bane on it, but I couldn't bring myself to do it." Maryse said and Magnus smiled.

"It doesn't need Bane on it." Magnus said with a smile. "It's already perfect as it is."

"I thought it was the perfect gift. No money involved, but just as meaningful." Maryse said.

"I couldn't agree more." Alec said. He couldn't believe what he was holding Max's blanket in his hands. It was perfect, and brought back a lot of good memories. Max waddled over to them and Magnus picked him up and sat him on his lap. Max eyed up the blanket and than reached for it when Alec pulled it away. "What do you say Max?" Alec asked.

"Pwease." He said and Alec smiled and handed the blanket over to him. Max only knew a few words. Papa, Dada, please, and thank you. So Alec was instilling the manners into him early so that he would be a polite little boy, and so far it was working. He grabbed the blanket and than squirmed out of Magnus hold and walked back over to Clary and Izzy, holding the blanket securely in his hands. It pleased Alec immensely to see his son take to his younger brothers blanket.

"This seems like a good time." Alec heard Jace say and everyone's attention focused on them.

"For what?" Alec asked.

"I'm pregnant!" Clary shouted before Jace could say anything.

"Oh my god!" Jocelyn was the first to break out of the spell. She ran over to Clary and engulfed her in a hug. "My first grandbaby."

"I get more grandbabies." Maryse said and everyone laughed.

"How far along are you?" Jocelyn asked when she released Clary.

"I'm not sure yet. I have an appointment next week." Clary said. "I only found out about 5 days ago. I think I'm still processing."

"I can imagine. I was in a daze for about 2 months after finding out I was pregnant with you." Jocelyn said. "I got that first sonogram, and suddenly it was all real."

"I think the morning sickness makes it real for me." Clary said and everyone laughed. Everyone started asking Clary questions and Alec made his way over to Jace.

"A father huh?" Alec asked and Jace laughed.

"It's crazy." Jace said with a laugh. "But I'm so excited."

"There really is nothing like it in the world." Alec said. "I still can't get over the fact that Max is my son."

"I'm nervous. Clary and I both don't have great childhoods. We went through a lot of things, but I know that I'm going to do everything I can for my child. No doubt about it."

"I have no doubt. You were always incredibly caring, I mean, you bonded with Max the first month you came to us." Alec said and Jace nodded. "You're great with kids, I can only imagine you'll be ever better with your own."

"Thanks. I needed that pep talk." Jace said and Alec laughed.

Everything settled down and Max started getting hungry which meant that it was time for dinner. Magnus kept it simple, they stuck with pasta that way everyone was happy, and it was easier to make it in bulk. The table was quiet before Magnus realized that nobody brought up the high school reunion.

"I almost forgot, how was the reunion?" Magnus asked.

"It was good after Izzy told off Aline." Simon said.

"She was there?" Jocelyn asked. "Did she get expelled?"

"Yes, but that didn't stop her from harassing her way to the reunion." Clary said. "Honestly, its like everyone is scared of her, and doesn't want to tell her no."

"Accept you." Izzy pointed out. "You were ready to deck her again."

"Tell me you didn't Clarissa." Jocelyn said.

"I would have blamed it on my hormones." Clary said and everyone laughed but Jocelyn looked less than pleased. "Relax mom, I didn't hit her. Jace pulled me back and kept a firm grip on me."

"Good boy." Jocelyn said to Jace and he smiled and nodded. "Was she just as bad?"

"She's so petty." Jace said. "It's like she's stuck in high school."

"High school was her kingdom." Izzy said. "It was the end all be all for her. She wasn't making it very far after that, so she had to invest it all in high school. I'm not surprised she's still just as bit…mean." Izzy censored herself and Magnus and Alec were thankful for that.

"So ,what happened?" Alec asked.

"I just told her that we didn't care about her, and that she needed to move on." Izzy said. "I told her that what she said about me, and my family in high school was completely uncalled for and that just because she was so insecure in her own sexuality and overall character, doesn't mean she can attack us." Izzy said.

"I'm so proud of you." Alec said.

"She knows nothing about our family. I'll admit, I was a little risky in high school. I never thought about the consequences of my actions." Izzy said. "But that doesn't define me, and the car accident wasn't my fault, and Jace isn't a charity case, and just because you're gay doesn't mean you are any less of a human being." Izzy said and Alec smiled at her. "I love my life, I'm proud of how far I've come, and what she thinks about us doesn't really matter."

"You really have grown up Isabelle." Maryse said and Izzy smiled.

"I'm just glad I pull my head out of my as…the clouds, and focused on myself, and that opened up a lot of doors for me." Izzy said as she looked at Simon and smiled. "It was long overdue, but I'm glad I got the chance to tell her off."

"Good for you." Jocelyn said and Alec smiled.

"This seems like a good time." Simon said and everyone looked at him. He reached his hand under the table and than when he pulled it back up he had a small ring box in his hand. Izzy gasped and her hands flew over her mouth. "There isn't much I can say." Simon started. "You know exactly how I feel about you, and after everything you've overcome in your life, and everything you've achieved, I couldn't be prouder of the woman you've become, and how much I've seen you grow as a person." Simon said and Izzy began to cry. "You're everything to me, and this might be long overdue, but I wanted to get you something that Isabelle Lightwood would be proud to wear, and that took me some time." Simon said as he opened the box. "So, Isabelle Lightwood, would you do the honor of marrying me?"

"Yes." Izzy said through the tears and Alec couldn't help but smile. Simon slid the ring onto her finger and gave her a sweet kiss. "It's beautiful."

"I worked with the jeweler for months customizing this ring." Simon admitted. "I wanted it to be perfect because you deserve that."

"It's absolutely gorgeous." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Let me see." Maryse said and Izzy held her hand over the table and all the women gushed over the piece of jewelry. "Today is such an amazing day. My grandson is 1, my daughter is getting married, and my son is having a baby." Maryse said as tears pooled in her eyes. "Today couldn't get any better." She said. Alec looked around at his family. Izzy was staring at her ring and smiling to Simon, Jace had Clary tucked closely to her side as his hand rested on her nonexistent stomach with the biggest smile on his face, and Magnus was currently wiping the sauce of their sons face. His mom was right, today was a great day, and Alec was glad he got to spend it with the people that meant everything to him.


	24. Chapter 24

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so inspiration struck, and I finally found a direction in which to take this story, and I like it a lot! Now, as you know Clary is pregnant, and I'm all for suggestions about baby names! Let me know what you think because I'm not going to name the baby until the next chapter, and who knows what I'll update again! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Four**

 **Time Jump – Four/Five Months Later**

Today was the day that Jace and Clary were learning the sex of their baby and Jace was freaking out. When Clary first started showing, Jace couldn't believe that they were actually having a baby. The first time he felt their baby kick, was a whole new experience. Jace couldn't keep his hands off her bump after that. Whenever they were together, his hand constantly rested on her belly, and Clary actually loved that Jace did that.

Sitting in the room waiting for the doctor, Jace's hand was resting on Clary's belly like it always was. It felt like the doctor was taking forever to get there, and normally Clary wouldn't mind, but she was anxious to find out what her and Jace were having. It's all she's been able to think about for the past couple weeks, and now that they were so close, she was tired of waiting. Finally when the door opened Clary took a deep breath.

"Good afternoon Clary, Jace." The doctor said. "How are you feeling today?"

"Good. We're just anxious to find out what we're having." Clary said and the doctor smiled.

"Okay, how about you sit back and lift your shirt and we'll find out the sex." She said. Clary nodded and laid back as she lifted her shirt. The doctor put he gel on her belly, which caused Clary to flinch with how cold it was. After a few moments the doctor smiled and turned back to Jace and Clary. "Looks like you two are going to be the proud parents of a little baby girl."

"A girl?" Jace said as he took in the news. The doctor simply nodded and started cleaning the gel off of Clary.

"Come back in a couple weeks for another appointment." She said. Clary nodded and the doctor left the room leaving her and Jace alone.

"We're having a girl." Jace said again.

"Yea. We are." Clary said and Jace looked up at her. "Are you upset?"

"Upset? Why in the world would I be upset?" Jace asked.

"I just know guys always want to have a little boy, and I mean, I know you're going to love our daughter more than anything, I just didn't know if you were a little disappointed that it wasn't a boy." Clary explained.

"I'm not disappointed, or upset." Jace said. "I'm amazed." Jace said and Clary smiled. "I mean, a little girl. That's incredible."

"I love you." Clary said and Jace leaned up and kissed her.

"I love you too." He said and than he rested his hand on her belly. "And I love our little princess."

"I'm gonna call Izzy and tell her that she can finally throw me a baby shower, but to keep the sex a surprise. I want to surprise our family." Clary said and Jace nodded as he helped her off the table.

"Whatever you want babe." Jace said and they made their way out of the office. On the way hoe Clary pulled out her phone and called Izzy.

"Hello?" Izzy answered rather quickly.

"Hey Iz, Jace and I just got done with the doctor." Clary said.

"And what am I having?" Izzy asked which caused Clary to laugh.

"You are going to be the proud aunt of a beautiful little girl." Clary said as she rubbed her belly and she heard Izzy screaming.

"Oh, I am so buying and designing her the cutest line of clothing!" Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"Whatever you want Iz. Hey I was wondering, would you like to throw me that baby shower soon?" Clary asked.

"Um, hell yea!" Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"I would love for you to keep the sex a secret though. I really want to surprise our family." Clary asked.

"Of course. Can I tell Simon though?" Izzy asked.

"Of course." Clary said.

"Oh, and now we can have her be the flower girl in our wedding!" Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"She isn't even born yet Iz." Clary said.

"Yea, but you know Simon and I aren't getting married until I figure out ever little detail, and make it perfect." Izzy said and Clary laughed. "Magnus has made 5 trips up here already to help with the venue, and everything, and we're still undecided. It might take me a couple years to plan this thing."

"Just remember Iz, it's going to be perfect no matter what because of who you're marrying." Clary said as she looked at Jace. "The flowers, the cake, the venue, hell even the dress are so unimportant once you get to the end of the alter, and finally become his wife."

"I guess you're right." Izzy said. "I've just thought about this day for my whole life, and I want it to be perfect."

"Well, Simon is a patient guy, I doubt he cares how long it takes you to actually get married." Clary said with a laugh. "He's just happy you said yes."

"He is rather wonderful isn't he?" Izzy said.

"That he is." Clary said. "Well, let me know when you want to have the shower. Jace and I just got home, and I'm exhausted."

"Sounds good. See you later Clare." Izzy said and they hung up. Clary and Jace got into the house and Clary immediately made a beeline for the couch.

"Can I get you anything babe?" Jace asked.

"Peanut butter ice cream, and double stuffed Oreos." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"I'll run to the store real quick." He said as he gave her a quick kiss.

"You're the best." Clary said and Jace smiled before leaving to get her food. Clary was thankful that Jace was so sweet and willing to do anything for her, and she could only imagine how incredibly whipped he was going to be with their daughter.

Jace was back faster than Clary thought with her ice cream and Oreos, but that only made it better because Clary was really craving them. He got her a bowl and a plate, and than joined her on the couch where she was cuddled under a blanket looking through a baby name book.

"Already looking for names?" Jace asked as his hand made it over to her belly.

"You know our family is going to ask the minute they find out it's a girl." Clary said. "Plus, it's always nice to figure it out now, that way we aren't blindsided when she's born. I don't want to be arguing while I'm in labor."

"How can I possibly argue with that logic?" Jace said and Clary laughed.

"You can't." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"Have you found anything that you like so far?" Jace asked.

"I have two that have really stuck out to me." Clary said.

"Okay, what are they?" Jace asked.

"The first one is Jane." Clary said. "It's cute, and simple."

"I like it." Jace said which made Clary smile. "And the second one?" Jace asked.

"Beverly." Clary said as she took a scoop of peanut butter ice cream out of the bowl. "I just don't know a Beverly, and I don't want our baby to be stuck with such a generic name. I think it's pretty, and different."

"I like them both." Jace said.

"Do you have any names in mind?" Clary asked and Jace thought about it.

"Not really." Jace admitted. "I guess a name didn't even occur to me."

"We have to name our baby something Jace." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"I know that, but until today we didn't even know what we were having." Jace said. "And after finding out, I've just been referring to her as princess or baby girl in my head."

"That's cute. She already has you whipped." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"Honestly, I like both of those names, and maybe a few will pop into my mind in the coming months, but right now I think two is a good place to start." Jace said and Clary nodded. She went back to eating her ice cream and Oreos while Jace turned the TV on. His hand rested on her belly like always and they took the opportunity to spend some quality time together. Before Clary knew it, she was drifting off into darkness, thinking about her baby, and feeling Jace's hand resting on her bulging stomach and she couldn't help but smile as she drifted away thinking about her family.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy had been going insane planning this baby shower. And not a bad insane, but insane like she was incredibly pumped to be getting a niece, that Simon sometimes had to rein her in and stop her from going over the top. Izzy on the other hand didn't think she was doing too much. She never got the chance to do this with Max, and as much as she loved Max, this was her first niece, someone she could dress in cute dresses, and with fun headbands, and she was incredibly happy to be able to do that with her.

"Come on Simon, everyone is going to be here soon." Izzy said as she put the finishing touches on the venue. Izzy rented out their favorite restaurant for the afternoon, and she told everyone to meet here at 2:30.

"Iz, you literally don't need my help at all. Everything looks perfect." Simon said as he made his way over to her.

"This is the first time I get to plan one of these, nothing will ever be perfect." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"You are a natural planner Iz. This place looks great, and you did an amazing job hiding the gender. No one is going to notice." Simon said as he looked around at all the grey details.

"You think?" Izzy asked taking another look around.

"Trust me. Everyone is going to be questioning it until Clary and Jace are ready to tell." Simon said and right as the clock hit 2:30 the doors opened and in walked Maryse and Robert.

"Wow. This place looks amazing." Maryse said as she looked around.

"Thanks mom." Izzy said as she hugged her mom followed by her dad.

"I'm still upset that Clary and Jace wouldn't tell us the gender. It made shopping for a present really hard." Maryse said and Izzy and Simon laughed.

"They wanted it to be a surprise." Izzy said.

"Well, I can't wait to find out." Maryse said and than the door opened again and more people entered. Clary made it known that she really just wanted family here. It's not that Clary and Jace didn't want to share this day with friends, they just really wanted to share it with a more intimate group of people, and that just so happened to be family.

When everyone finally arrived Izzy texted Clary and Jace to let them know it was okay to show up. She wanted them to be the last ones to arrive so that everyone could give them a proper greeting. Izzy was known for going above and beyond what was asked of her, and it was one reason everyone loved her. She made everything special, and this was something that deserved to be extra special. The doors opened and in walked Clary and Jace. Clary had gotten a lot bigger since the last time Izzy saw her and it just made Izzy more excited to meet her niece.

"Wow." Clary said as she made her way farther into the restaurant. "You really out did yourself Iz." Clary said and Izzy gave her a hug.

"I had to make it special for my niece." Izzy whispered in her ear, which caused Clary to smile. "Alright everyone, time to get this party started!" Izzy said and everyone started cheering.

Clary and Jace made their rounds, and said hello to everyone. There was a table sitting in the middle where Jace and Clary were going to be sitting the whole afternoon. Izzy had planned many games for everyone, and when she started Clary couldn't stop laughing at how funny they were. Izzy had a baby food tasting game, and Clary couldn't keep it together when everyone started gagging with how horrible they tasted. Surprisingly though, Magnus had won, but after he informed everyone that he was the official taster when Max was a baby, it suddenly made sense, and Alec had apologized that he had to taste all of that nasty food.

"Okay, I think it's time." Izzy said after the last game and gestured for Clary and Jace to take a stand.

"Okay, so there are clues all over this restaurant about the gender of the baby." Clary said and everyone began looking around. "Jace and I have talked about this for a long time, and we have decided that the person who can guess the gender, will have the opportunity to give our child a middle name. We wish you the best of luck." Clary said and took a seat. Jace and Clary couldn't help but laugh when everyone started looking for the clues. After about 15 minutes they heard a scream.

"You're having a girl!" They hear and everyone turned around to see Alec holding a tiny pink sock.

"We are in fact having a girl." Clary said and everyone cheered.

"How the hell did you find that Alec?" Magnus asked.

"To be completely honest, I dropped something and it fell out. It was all purely luck." Alec confessed and everyone laughed.

"Well, a deal is a deal, Alec, you get to come up with our daughters middle name." Jace said and Alec just smiled.

"Now I can bring the cake out!" Izzy cheered and went into the back and brought out the incredibly pink cake.

"Wow. That is one pink cake." Maryse said and Izzy laughed.

"Since the rest of the baby shower kinda had to be in disguise I went a little crazy on the cake. But that's only because I was able to hide it. Imagine what this place would have looked like if Clary and Jace didn't want to keep it a surprise." Izzy said.

"That is particularly why we wanted to keep it a surprise." Clary said and Izzy rolled her eyes. Everyone settled back down and started eating cake when Izzy made her way over to Simon. She took a seat and Simon put his arm around her shoulders.

"You don't care how long it takes us to get married do you?" Izzy asked out of nowhere, but she couldn't stop thinking about the conversation she had with Clary when she asked her to plan the baby shower.

"Not at all." Simon said. "You've always had this vision of what you wanted your wedding day to be like, and if it takes you 6 months or 3 years to plan that, I'm okay with that."

"You'd wait three years to get married?" Izzy asked kinda stunned.

"I still can't believe you're mine. I was stunned when you became my girlfriend, I was more stunned when you agreed to marry me, and I think I might faint the day you introduce yourself as Mrs. Lewis." Simon said and Izzy laughed. "We have an amazing life together already Iz, getting married will only increase that. And whether that day is next year or in a couple years, that's up to you."

"You are so incredibly patient." Izzy said and Simon leaned over and pressed his lips to hers quickly.

"One of us has to be." He said and Izzy laughed and pushed him playfully. "Seriously though, pick whatever day you want to get married, and I'll be at the end of the aisle waiting for you."

"I love you." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"I love you too Iz." Simon said and Izzy couldn't believe how incredibly lucky she was to have him in her life.

"Oh my god." Izzy heard someone shriek and she looked over and Clary looked like she was in pain.

"What's going on?" Izzy asked as she made her way over to Clary.

"Something is wrong." Clary said as she clutched her stomach.

"Someone call an ambulance!" Izzy shouted.

"Everything is going to be okay." Izzy heard Jace tell Clary. Izzy couldn't tell if he was trying to convince Clary or himself, but I guess it didn't really matter at this point. They both needed reassurance.

When the ambulance arrived the loaded Clary in and Jace followed soon after and away they went. Everyone else got into their designated cars and followed the ambulance to the hospital. Unfortunately once they got there, all they could do was wait until their was any news on what was happening. Everyone was clearly distraught and dying to know what was going on with Clary and the baby, but it was all a waiting game now, and if there was one thing Izzy hated more than not knowing what was going on, it was waiting.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

There had been no news since the doctor came out and told everyone that they needed to induce Clary and deliver the baby today. Everyone was clearly worried since Clary was only 7 months pregnant. It was scary knowing that the baby was a preemie, and that she could be at risk for a lot of medical complications, but at this point they were just hoping both Clary and the baby were safe, and getting the treatment they needed to get healthy. Everyone was sitting in the waiting room when they heard the doors open. They all looked up and saw Jace standing there.

"What happened?" Izzy asked before anyone else could speak.

"The doctor said the preterm labor was caused by preeclampsia." Jace said. "They don't know why she didn't show any signs of it before, but…" Jace trailed off. Izzy could tell how much today drained him.

"How is Clary?" Maryse asked.

"Labor was horrifying." Jace said honestly. "There was so much blood. And crying, not just Clary. She was as white as a ghost, and for a moment I thought I was losing her."

"But she's okay?" Jocelyn asked.

"She's sleeping right now, and the doctors want her to stay here until they feel like she's prepared to go home." Jace explained.

"How's your daughter?" Simon asked and it never even occurred to anyone else to ask, which Izzy felt horrible about.

"Tiny." Jace said. "She weighed 2 pounds when she came out. The doctors are going to keep her in the NICU until she can breath on her own, and contain her own body heat."

"So everyone is okay?" Robert asked after a moment.

"No." Jace said as his voice cracked. "I'm not." He admitted. Maryse walked over and pulled him into a tight hug. "I almost lost them both."

"But you didn't Jace." Maryse said. "Clary and your baby will both be okay. We will pay for her to get the best treatment. I don't care where the hospital is or if we have to fly the best PEDS doctor in the country out here. They will both be okay." Maryse said as she rubbed Jace's back. Izzy could see Jace nodding along to whatever her mom was saying. She leaned farther into Simon and he pulled her close. Today wasn't supposed to end like this, but Izzy was thankful that everyone was at least getting the care they needed, and as horrible as it might sound, she was glad Jace was crying because he was worried, not because he just lost another member of his family. Everyone knew it was going to be a long journey for them, but Izzy knew that if anyone could survive something like this, it was Clary and Jace.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Alec, Magnus and Max were all out grabbing lunch, a much needed family lunch after everything that went down last week. Jace kept everyone in the loop about everything that was going on, and Alec was thankful that everything had worked out despite how incredibly scary it was to see his brother go through that. Plus, it had been awhile since they were really able to do this as a family considering Magnus has been up to his neck with work, and Alec couldn't blame him at all, but that didn't mean that Alec didn't miss the time they spent together as a family. Thankfully though, Magnus had off this whole week, and Alec was going to take advantage of all that time and do as many things as they could together. Max was growing up so fast, and he wanted to create as many memories as he could as a family. Alec of all people knew how short life could be, and he wasn't going to take that for granted anymore.

"Welcome to Rudy's, my name is Cristal, what brings you in today?" She asked in a chipper voice, and not that Alec and Magnus minded, but it was an odd question to start out with.

"We're just having a much needed family day." Magnus answered happily.

"Like, together?" She asked in a pretty harsh tone that caught both Magnus and Alec off guard.

"Um, yes? How else would you spend time together as a family?" Magnus asked genuinely curious.

"I don't know, maybe like every other family. With a man, a woman, and a kid." She said and although Magnus and Alec were not strangers to homophobes, it didn't mean they were used to it.

"I think you need to step into the 21st century and realize that's not how all families work anymore." Magnus said politely.

"I don't serve fags." She said and walked away, leaving a gaping Alec and Magnus. Max, of course, oblivious to everything was happily playing with whatever toy he was given.

"Come on." Alec said as he stood up. "We'll just go somewhere else."

"We shouldn't have to leave just because she doesn't agree with our lifestyle." Magnus said.

"Mags, I'm so tired of fighting with people who don't understand us or who don't support us. If she won't serve us, fine, we'll go somewhere that will." Alec explained and Magnus knew he wasn't going to win. He picked Max up and they gathered their things about to leave when someone came up to them.

"Excuse me." A very nice woman said and Alec and Magnus both turned around and looked at her. "We got a complaint…."

"We're leaving." Alec cut her off before she had the opportunity to degrade them even more. "We aren't welcomed here, and we were just about to go somewhere else."

"Oh sir, no. We got a complaint against one of staff members who we were informed treated you unfairly." She said and Alec and Magnus both looked at each other and than back at the woman. "I came over here to apologize."

"Oh." Magnus said because it seemed like they were both pretty stunned by what she was saying.

"Would you be so kind and tell me who your server is?" She asked.

"Cristal." Magnus said and Alec nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. Please, have a seat. I'll be back momentarily." She said. When she walked away Alec and Magnus looked at each other again, shrugged and took their seats. A moment later there was a huge commotion in the kitchen area, which soon made its way out on the floor.

"You're firing me?" Someone yelled, and when Alec and Magnus both looked back, the woman they talked to just a moment ago was speaking, or yelling, at Cristal. "You can't fire me."

"And you can't call our customers fags." The woman said.

"Figures the queers would rat me out." Cristal said and Alec was about to stand up and confront her when someone else stood up and began talking.

"They didn't complain. I did." A big burly man stood up and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why the hell would you care about a couple of fags?" Cristal asked, and Alec and Magnus really wished she would stop referring to them in such a derogatory way.

"First off, this is a family restaurant. I don't appreciate you using that type of language around my kids, and other kids in this establishment." He said. "Secondly, just because you don't agree with their lifestyle doesn't mean you have the right to call them derogatory names. Its offensive, not just to them, but to others as well. Especially me."

"Are you a fag too?" She asked and Alec looked back at the man, and he didn't look pleased.

"I'm not. I'm actually here with my wife, and kids." He said as he gestured back to his table and there they all sat, watching the scene unfold just like everyone else. "I find it offensive because my brother is gay. And he was picked on his entire life for who he is. It doesn't matter who you love, it just matters that whoever you want to love, loves you back. Two men can be in love, two women can be in love, a man and a woman can be in love, or you can love nobody. It's your choice, and its their life. They don't need you shitting on them because they're happy." He said and than he turned towards us. "Pardon my French." He said and Alec and Magnus both laughed.

"Don't worry about it." Magnus said. "I would have said much worse."

"This is unbelievable." Cristal said.

"You do realize that you work in a restaurant owned by two lesbians right?" The other woman asked and Cristal's jaw dropped.

"You're gay?" He shouted and the woman crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes. And me and my wife have been married for 15 years. We built this business from the ground up." She said. "We gave you a job when you were 14, and not even supposed to be working, but you needed the money to support your family, and I convinced her that we should help you out, and this is how you chose to repay me?" The woman said. "By not only calling customers fags, but by completely disrespecting everyone in the LGBTQ community? Which includes me, your boss."

"I didn't know." She said. "Helen you have to know, I had no idea."

"I don't care. You're fired." She said. "And you aren't getting paid today. Just leave, and don't come back." She said and Cristal threw her apron on the floor and stormed out. "I'm so sorry for the way she treated you."

"Thank you for standing up for us." Magnus said. "Both of you." He said as he turned towards the man.

"It was my pleasure. I've never been a fan of bullies, and you three look like a lovely family. The hell with those who don't understand it. Love is love." He said and Alec and Magnus smiled.

"Lunch is on the house today." The woman, Helen said.

"Thank you." Alec said and she smiled before walking away. Max started laughing which caused Alec and Magnus to turn their attention back to their son. Alec wished that he could say what happened today was a rare occasion, but it wasn't. today might have been one of the worser ones but Alec heard the whispers, and he saw the glares, and he noticed when people pointed to them. He wishes he could ignore them but the fact is, there will always be people in the world who won't agree with them, and who will make it known that they thing Magnus and his relationship was wrong, or sinful. Alec was just grateful for those people, like the man in the restaurant today, that took a stand to defend his family and his relationship, because in the end, Magnus and him were happy, and they loved Max more than anything, and that's all that mattered.


	25. Chapter 25

**Authors Note:**

 **Since nobody cared about the name, I chose one myself! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Five**

Clary had been in the hospital recovering for two weeks, and to say that she was still incredibly sore, and exhausted would be an understatement. All she wanted to do was see her baby whenever she wanted, but she couldn't, and it was killing her. What sucked even more, was Clary and Jace still haven't been able to name her. Her birth was so incredibly fast and unexpected, that they simply weren't prepared.

"Hey, you're awake." Jace said as he walked into the room expecting Clary to be asleep.

"I can't really sleep." Clary admitted.

"What's wrong?" Jace asked.

"We haven't named our child Jace." Clary said and Jace sighed.

"I know." He said. "It's been pretty crazy since she was born." Jace said as he took a seat next to her bed.

"Yea, but she needs a name. She's two weeks old. We can't call her baby Lightwood forever." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"I know." Jace said. "How about we do it right now?" Jace said and Clary smiled.

"Okay." Clary said with a huge smile. Jace missed seeing that smile, and he couldn't wait until Clary was cleared and his daughter was cleared so that he could see that beautiful smile even more.

"I'm not going to lie, I don't really have any suggestions." Jace said and Clary laughed.

"That's okay." Clary said. "I don't really think we need any more than the two we discussed already."

"So our baby will be either Jane or Beverly." Jace said.

"If that's okay with you." Clary said hesitantly.

"I love both names, and I think she will be honored to be either of them." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"Hopefully whatever name Alec picked her for her middle goes with it." Clary said and Jace laughed. "Can I be honest?" She asked and Jace nodded. "Since the first time I saw her in the NICU I've been referring to her as Beverly in my head."

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" Jace asked.

"I didn't know how you would feel about it, and I didn't want to take away from you getting a say in her name as well." Clary admitted.

"Babe, I think Beverly is perfect." Jace said which caused Clary to smile.

"Really?" She asked and Jace laughed.

"Of course." He said. "It's a strong name. Our strong daughter deserves a strong name." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"Than it's settled." Clary said. "Beverly Lightwood."

"It's perfect. Just like her." Jace said.

"Now I really hope Alec picks a good middle name." Clary said and Jace laughed.

Jace's family came by later that day, and they were glad to see Clary and Jace smiling. It had been a hard two weeks for everyone, and just knowing that even though the road was going to be long, they were all going to be okay was enough to make everyone finally take a deep breath and calm down a little. It had been a tough time in the family, but after everyone saw the baby, and saw Clary up and speaking it finally settled down and that's exactly what Clary and Jace needed.

"So, I finally figured out a middle name." Alec said after a moment.

"And what might that be?" Clary asked curious about what he had picked.

"Anne." Alec said and Jace and Clary looked at each other and smiled.

"It's perfect." Jace said and Clary nodded in agreement.

"Have you two finally decided to name her?" Maryse asked after a minute.

"We have." Jace said.

"And? What's her name?" Jocelyn asked.

"Beverly Anne Lightwood." Clary said and everyone smiled.

"It's beautiful sweetheart." Jocelyn said as she came over and kissed Clary's forehead.

Jace's family stayed for some time before Clary needed some rest. They all understood that she was still exhausted, and they all didn't want to wear her out. Once it was just Jace and Clary left in the hospital Jace took a deep breath and sat down next to Clary.

"I can't believe she finally has a name." Jace said and Clary laughed. "It finally feels real."

"And the baby chillin in the NICU with the tag 'Baby Lightwood' wasn't real enough?" Clary said and it was Jace's turn to laugh.

"But now she has a name." Jace said. "Now she's ours. She's my baby girl."

"That she is." Clary said and Jace leaned down and pressed his lips to her head. They laid in bed together just soaking up the moment of finally naming their child. Everything felt like it was moving in a positive direction, and that felt good.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

"Good afternoon Clary." The doctor said as she walked into the room.

"Good afternoon." Clary said.

"I've reviewed your charts, and it looks like you get to go home tomorrow." The doctor said and Clary's face just fell.

"Oh. Okay." Clary said and the doctor nodded. Without another word, the doctor left and Clary was left alone, sadness filling the air, and her happy mood turning sour with one conversation.

When Jace got to the hospital he was expecting to see Clary sitting in bed smiling reading a book, or sketching. But when Jace walked in, he saw Clary curled up in the fetal position crying. Worried Jace rushing to her side.

"Clary, what's wrong?" Jace asked frantically.

"The doctor said I was going to be released tomorrow." Clary said through the sobs.

"That's amazing Clare." Jace said and Clary shot up and glared at him.

"No it isn't." Clary snapped back. "It's not fair that I get to go home and our baby doesn't." She said and Jace sighed and smiled at his beautiful yet distraught wife.

"She's going to be in here for awhile baby, and other people need this room if you're well enough to go home." Jace said and he saw Clary calm down a little.

"I can't leave her." Clary finally admitted. Jace climbed into the bed and Clary curled into the side.

"We can visit her whenever we want, and before we know it, she'll be home." Jace said and Clary sniffed.

"You promise?" Clary asked and Jace laughed slightly.

"Of course. I don't think I could not visit my child. She needs us, even if she doesn't really know who we are yet." Jace said and Clary laughed.

"Okay." Clary said and Jace leaned down and kissed her temple.

"This is good news Clary." Jace said. "Watching you go through that was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me, and the fact that you're still here, and so is our baby, and that you're here and healthy enough to go home, and our baby is getting stronger every day, is a miracle." Jace said and Clary smiled.

"I'm sorry you went through that." Clary said.

"You're healthy, and our baby is thriving. I couldn't be more blessed." Jace said and Clary leaned her head on his chest. The room was quiet, but that didn't bother Clary or Jace, they were just enjoying each others company, and both thinking about the future with their little baby Beverly, and nothing else really matter at that point to them.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Simon!" Izzy yelled when she ran into the house. "You're never going to believe what happened today!" She yelled as she ran into the living room where Simon was sitting on the couch.

"What's up Iz?" Simon asked as Izzy took a seat on the couch next to him.

"My line was approved! I'm actually going to make a line of clothing and it's going to be sold in stores!" Izzy said and Simon got the biggest smile on his face.

"That's amazing Izzy!" Simon said as he pulled her into a hug.

"I explained why I wanted to do this, and told them all about Clary and Jace, and their scary situation with Beverly, and they realized that there was a whole community out there with similar situations, and that there wasn't really a clothing line for preemie babies." Izzy explained. "At least, as preemie as Beverly is. She's so tiny, and can't fit into anything, but now they could!"

"It sounds awesome Iz, and I can't wait to see your finished product." Simon said and Izzy couldn't get the smile off her face.

"I can't wait to see Beverly in my clothing." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"She needs to get out of NICU first." Simon said.

"How long has she been there now?" Izzy asked.

"About 2 months." Simon said.

"I can't even imagine how hard that is for Clary and Jace." Izzy said as she leaned into Simon.

"I talked to Clary earlier actually." Simon said. "She's been home for a month, and she hates being so far away from her." Simon explained. "At least in the hospital she was under the same roof."

"Do you have any idea how Jace is holding up?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know. I only talked to Clary for like 5 minutes. They were going to the hospital to visit her." Simon said and Izzy nodded.

"Well, I have to go to the fabric store and get a ton of stuff!" Izzy said as she stood up.

"Can I tag along?" Simon said and it caught Izzy off guard.

"Really?" Izzy asked and Simon laughed.

"I've never seen you in your element before. Sure I went to all your fashion shows at Yale, and I've seen your sketches, but I've never seen you actually purchase the stuff." Simon said. "I want to see you in action."

"Okay, but it might take the rest of the day." Izzy said and Simon grabbed the keys off the hook and opened the front door for Izzy.

"I'm ready." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

When they got to the fabric store, Simon didn't realize how many different patterns and textures were actually out in the world. He was in awe as Izzy navigated herself around the store like a seasoned pro, knowing exactly where she wanted to go, and what fabric she wanted to get. Simon got distracted by the Star Wars fabric. He was so caught up when he heard a Izzy laugh behind him.

"Get lost?" Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"I had no idea how many different designs could be possible." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"There is a whole world outside your engineering cubical babe." Izzy said as she made her way over to him.

"This Star Wars fabric is pretty awesome." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"We'll come back and get it when we have kids." Izzy said and it was the first time outside of planning their wedding that Izzy had mentioned having kids, and it caught Simon off guard, but it made his heart skip a beat. He loved thinking about the future with Izzy, and thinking about having kids was something that Simon couldn't even begin to describe. Izzy took his hand and she led him to another part of the store. It was filled with button and zippers and threads. Simon's eyes nearly popped out of his head and Izzy laughed at his confused expression. Izzy started looking at snaps versus buttons and what would be better for a baby onsie. Simon stood next to her in compete awe with the world that Izzy lived in, and couldn't be more proud of everything she's accomplished in her career.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Maxwell Lightwood-Bane, clean up your toys otherwise we aren't going to visit your cousin." Alec yelled to his little boy. Max had been asking to see his cousin since he found out he had one, and Alec and Magnus tried their hardest to keep him out of the hospital as much as they could. They didn't want to freak him out with all the machines and wires that Beverly was attached too.

"Daddy." Max whined and Alec made his way over to him.

"Blueberry, you have to put your blocks away so we can go see Bevy." Alec said and Max sniffled a little but started picking up the blocks. Alec was happy to see Max thriving and learning something new everyday. Once Max was done he made his way over to Alec. "Let's get your shoes on." Alec said and Max went and got his sneakers, and gave them to Alec. He sat on the ground and stuck his foot up in the air. Alec out both shoes on and than the front door opened.

"Papa!" Max yelled and he got up and ran towards Magnus.

"Hi Blueberry." Magnus said as he kissed his forehead.

"What are you doing home so early?" Alec asked as he made his way over to him.

"I finished for the day, and I didn't have anything else to do, so I thought I'd come visit Beverly with you guys. I haven't seen her in a couple weeks." Magnus said and Alec nodded.

"Grab your coat Max." Alec said and Max went and got his coat from the small hook on the wall. Magnus put it on and picked Max up. They made their way out of the house and to their car.

They arrived at the hospital and made their way over to the NICU. When Alec and Magnus looked in the window, there sat Clary and Jace. Clary had Beverly in her arms, and Jace was sitting there admiring his wife and daughter. Alec couldn't help but smile at his brother. He was really proud of how far Jace at come and how much he'd matured since Clary entered his life. Alec and Magnus walked into the room and Clary and Jace looked up.

"Glad you guys could make it." Clary said and Magnus put Max down and he made his way over to Clary.

"Bevy?" Max asked and Clary laughed.

"Yea, this is your cousin, Bevy." Clary said and Max smiled.

"You want to say hi little man?" Jace asked and Max nodded. Jace walked over and picked him up so that he could see Beverly better.

"Bevy." Max said and Alec and Magnus couldn't help but smile. "Wuv you." Max said to his cousin and it just made Alec and Magnus's heart melt. Max maybe only be 1 and a half, but he was a bright kid, and despite him being born addicted to drugs, Magnus and Alec saw how much he was thriving every day, and it was incredible to witness, and they couldn't wait to see him progress even more in his life.

Magnus and Alec stayed at the hospital for about an hour before it was time for them to leave, and it was time for Max's nap. When they got home though Max was already asleep. Alec put him in his room and joined Magnus on the couch. It was a comfortable silence for a while before Magnus broke it.

"Do you ever think about having more kids?" Magnus asked and Alec sat up and looked at him.

"Honestly I never really thought about it." Alec said honestly. "Max is still so young."

"I know." Magnus said. "I didn't mean soon, I was just thinking in a couple years." Magnus said.

"Maybe in a couple years." Alec agreed. "I think Max would love to have a sibling." Alec said.

"Did you see him with Beverly today?" Magnus asked and Alec smiled. "He was so gentle with her."

"He was really cute with her." Alec said and Magnus laughed.

When Max finally woke up, he made his way into the living room and started playing with his blocks. Alec didn't know what it was about those blocks, but Max loved them more than his other toys. Magnus got up to make dinner and Alec made his way over to Max to play with him.

"Bevy." Max said and Alec laughed.

"We'll see Bevy another day blueberry." Alec said and Max nodded. Alec could definitely see having another kid with Magnus. He could see Max playing with a brother or sister, and being one of the best brothers in the world because he was so caring and friendly. It made Alec smile as he thought about the future with Magnus and Max. He knew he wanted it, it was just the matter of timing, and they had their hands full with Max already, and they wanted to focus on him before adding another child to the mix.


	26. Chapter 26

**Authors Note:**

 **Wow, it's been a long time! I knew how I wanted this chapter to go, but forming the words was rather difficult but I'm glad it finally came together! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Twenty Six**

 **Time Jump – Ten Weeks Later**

When Jace and Clary walked into the hospital, they had no idea what they were in store for. They made their way to the NICU to visit Beverly but when they walked in the whole place was decked out in decorations. Clary and Jace were both incredibly confused.

"What's going on?" Jace asked the nurse and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"Miss. Beverly gets to go home today." She said and Clary immediately started crying. Jace was completely shocked but in the best way possible.

"Seriously?" Jace asked because Clary was still too distraught to talk.

"Very serious. She's amazing, and healthy. There is no need to keep her any longer." The nurse said and Clary finally got it together.

"I get to take my baby home?" Clary said and Jace put his arm around her and pulled her into him.

"You get to take her home." The nurse said and Clary clung onto Jace and he hugged her back just a tightly.

"Thank you so much." Jace said and the nurse nodded. The made their way over to the incubator that Beverly was in and noticed that she didn't have the oxygen attached anymore, and it made Clary's heart swell.

"I can't believe we get to take her home." Clary said as she took her daughter out of the incubator. She was smiling and breathing perfectly, and it just made Clary cry even more.

"I can't wait to finally be a family." Jace said and Clary looked up at him and smiled. She knew how much this meant to Jace, it means just as much to her, but actually hearing the words felt so surreal.

"You ready for the late nights, and the sleepless nights, and early mornings?" Clary asked him and Jace couldn't help but smile.

"I don't care if I don't sleep for the next 3 years." Jace said and Clary laughed. "We finally get to bring our little girl home. I'll take the good, the bad, the ugly, the gross." Jace said. "As long as she's with us, I don't care what challenges she throws at us."

"I can't wait either." Clary said and at that moment Beverly giggled. "You ready to go home with mommy and daddy baby girl?" Clary cooed and Beverly just smiled. "I can't wait to go home with you either." Clary said as she kissed her head.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood." They heard and they both turned their heads towards the nurse. "You just have to fill out these release forms, and you all can go." She said and Jace grabbed them from her and took a seat next to Clary.

"You ready for the rest of our lives with her?" Clary asked Jace.

"I've been ready for months." Jace asked and Clary couldn't help but smile. Jace filled out all the paperwork and handed it to the nurse.

"We've enjoyed your company these past couple months, but I hope we never have to see you again." The nurse said to Jace.

"I hope that as well." Jace said and she smiled and Jace made his way back to Clary and Beverly. Clary was cooing at their incredibly happy daughter and Jace couldn't even begin to explain how happy today made him. "You ready to go?" Jace asked as he got over to them. He kneeled down in front of Clary and took his daughter's hand in his.

"So ready." Clary said and Jace smiled. He took Beverly out of Clary's hands and she gathered all the things. They had kept a carrier and such there just in case they could take her home sooner than expected, and Jace and Clary were both glad they did. Jace secured Beverly in the carrier and she just was non-stop smiles, which made Jace incredibly happy. "She in there?" Clary asked and Jace smiled.

"She's good." Jace said as he picked it up. They walked out of the hospital and both stopped and looked at each other. "You ready?"

"I can't wait." Clary said. They held hands as they made their way to their car. Jace strapped Beverly into the back and they both got into the car and made their way home. Jace kept peaking in the review mirror to make sure she was okay, and Clary thought it was incredibly endearing. This was going to be one hell of an adventure, but they couldn't wait to experience it together.

When they got home, it all started to sink in. They were now in charge of this little life, and that was extremely terrifying, especially for Clary because she already felt like she let her down. Jace was holding Beverly and made his way into the living room and sat down on the couch. He took her out of the carrier and held her close.

"What if we mess up?" Clary asked after a moment and Jace looked at her.

"We will make mistakes Clare, but that doesn't mean we're going to screw her up." Jace said.

"I already failed her. I don't want to do it again." Clary admitted.

"You didn't fail her Clary." Jace said.

"Yes I did. She came into this world 3 months early. She was supposed to have more time. She was supposed to come out healthy. I put her in an incubator and she lived at that hospital for months."

"Listen to me Clarissa Lightwood." Jace said and even though he was using her full names, it made her smile. "You in no way failed out daughter. Sure, she came a little early, but that was due to something you couldn't control." Jace said.

"I'm just scared." Clary said.

"I'm terrified Clary. I know nothing about being a father, but I already love her more than I've loved anything in my life." Jace said.

"Gee thanks." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"You're a close second." Jace said and Clary couldn't help but laugh. "We are going to mess up, but as long as we love her, and provide for her, and show her that she is never alone, that's all she needs." Jace said and Clary was close to crying. "Baby, please don't cry." Jace said and the first tear spilled.

"I'm just really happy she's home." Clary said as she pulled herself together.

"So am I." Jace said and Beverly started to whimper. "I think she's hungry." Clary reached out her hands and Jace handed Beverly over. With no shame, Clary lifted her shirt and Beverly latched on like a pro. Jace put his arm around Clary and she leaned into him as Beverly ate. They both knew this was going to be challenging, but that was parenthood, and even with the fears they were super excited to start being a real family.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy and Simon were thrilled that Beverly was home, and the minute they got the call, they both nearly cried. They knew how hard it was for Jace and Clary, and the whole family really. Watching such a small life go through something incredibly difficult was hard.

The minute Izzy hung up the phone with Jace she decided that she didn't want to prolong her wedding to Simon any more. She wanted to be married, and become that boring domestic married couple that their friends made fun of. She realized she didn't need it to be perfect, she just needed Simon, and everything would be perfect.

Today they were heading down to Izzy's parents house because that's where they were having the ceremony. After looking at dozens of places with Magnus, she realized that her parents backyard was perfect, and everything she wanted, which was funny because she'd lived there her whole life and never saw it as anything other than just simply backyard.

"Simon, we have to leave now!" Izzy called upstairs.

"Coming!" Simon called down. After all these years, he knew not to mess with Izzy's schedule, otherwise he'd be in for one angry Izzy, and that was a sight he rarely saw, and for good reasons. Simon walked downstairs where Izzy was waiting and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"I thought women were supposed to take forever to get ready." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"I'm afraid I picked up the habit from you my dear." Simon said and Izzy couldn't help but smile.

"Well, we need to get on the road now, because everyone will be at my parents house, and I want to hold my little Beverly." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"You just want to see her wearing your clothes." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"It's a perk." Izzy said. "Every picture I get from Clary just makes me want to drive there every day and cuddle her."

"Well, we'll he home for a week an a half, you can cuddle her all you want." Simon said as they got into the car.

The drive took them relatively not time at all, and when they walked into the house they were greeted by their whole family and Izzy and Simon both felt incredibly happy to be apart of this amazing group of people. Izzy's eyes darted towards Beverly, who was happily bouncing up and down on Jace's knee. Seeing Jace in a fatherly role was strange for Izzy, but she saw that glimmer in his eye, and saw how fiercely he loved that little girl. Izzy made her way over and knelt down in front of her.

"Hey there pretty girl." Izzy cooed and Beverly giggled. "She's a happy baby."

"She's a happy baby now." Jace said with a laugh. "You were screaming your lips off last night weren't you baby?" Jace cooed and Izzy smiled.

"That's what babies do Jace." Izzy said and Jace smiled.

"I know, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I will deal with screaming nights every night of the week as long as she's home and healthy." He said and Izzy nodded.

"So she's doing well?" Izzy asked as she played with Beverly's fingers.

"Doctor said she is progressing wonderfully. She will be behind other babies until the age of two, maybe even longer, but the doctors assure us that when compared to other preemies, she's doing exceptional." Jace said with such pride.

"Well, she is a Lightwood, and we are extremely stubborn and determined people." Izzy said and Jace laughed.

"You got that right, plus she's going to be a mini Clary, and that girl is as stubborn as a mule." Jace said and Izzy laughed. Beverly started to fuss and Clary made her way over to us.

"Feeding time little one." Clary said as Jace handed her over to Clary.

"I'll miss you." Izzy cooed and Clary laughed.

"Once I'm done, she's all yours." Clary said and Izzy smiled. Clary made her way upstairs to feed Beverly and Izzy looked back at Jace.

"She looks great in my clothes doesn't she?" Izzy asked and Jace laughed.

"They do fit her rather well. Which is nice." Jace said. "When we first put her in a onsie, she was swimming in it."

"I bet. She's a peanut." Izzy said and Jace simply nodded.

"And you've dressed her for the next couple years, and since we're the prototype for all your new ideas, we don't have to buy clothes, so thank you for that." Jace said and Izzy laughed.

"Anything for you brother." Izzy said. When Clary finally came back down, she handed Beverly over to Izzy who never wanted to let the child go. Izzy would be lying if she said she didn't want children soon. She wanted to be a mother so badly, and just seeing how happy Beverly made Jace and Clary made her want one even more.

"Look at this cutie." Simon said and Izzy smiled. "Oh and look, Beverly is here too." She cooed and she giggled.

"Uncle Simon didn't mean it, you're defiantly the cutest one here." Izzy cooed at the baby who was oblivious to everything but wore her cute gummy smile.

"Alec, Magnus, and Max just arrived." Simon said and Izzy nodded. They walked in and Max immediately ran towards Izzy to see Beverly. Izzy loved how much Max loved his cousin, and how sweet he was towards her.

"Sorry we're late. Max threw a tantrum." Alec said and Simon laughed.

"No worries. Izzy has been soaking up Beverly time." Simon said and Alec laughed.

"Of course she is." Alec said. "She is a cutie."

"Yea." Simon agreed.

Everyone ate dinner and caught up with each other and Beverly was passed around so everyone got equal time with her. Of course Izzy hogged her most of the night, but she just couldn't help it. She loved the little girl so much, and wanted nothing but to cuddle her forever.

By the time 10 rolled around, everyone was getting ready to leave. Beverly was asleep, and Max passed out, and it had been a long day. Izzy and Simon said their goodbyes, and made their way up to Izzy's old room. They got ready for bed and crawled under the covers. It was silent for some time before Izzy broke it.

"Can we start trying to have a kid after we get married." She said bluntly and it caught Simon off guard but he still smiled from ear to ear knowing that she wanted a family soon.

"We can do whatever you want babe." Simon said and Izzy smiled.

"I love you." Izzy said as her eyes started to droop.

"I love you too Iz." Simon said and Izzy was consumed by darkness. Simon felt her breathing even out and he kissed the top of her head. He was marrying this girl next week, and it still seemed for surreal to him, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

It was the day of Izzy's wedding, and Alec couldn't believe his little sister was actually getting married. It seemed like yesterday he was scaring boys away from her, and now she was going to be someone's wife. He knocked on her door, and hear faint 'come in'. When Alec opened the door, he was awestruck with how beautiful Izzy looked. She had always been a beautiful girl, but today she looked ethereal.

"Izzy, you are gorgeous." Alec said and Izzy smiled.

"You don't think its too much?" Izzy asked.

"Not at all. This is you, and Simon loves who you are." Alec said and Izzy smiled.

"Is everyone here?" Izzy asked.

"Yup. When you're ready, the ceremony will start." Alec said and she nodded. She looked in the mirror one more time.

"I think I'm ready." She said and Alec smiled.

"Dad is waiting at the bottom of the stairs." Alec said and Izzy smiled. Alec left the room and made his down the stairs where Robert was.

"Is she almost ready?" Robert asked.

"Yea. She should be down in a minute." Alec said and he nodded. Alec made his way over to the other groomsmen, and than the bridesmaids made their way in. Since Clary was the maid of honor, and Alec was the best man, they were walking together and Alec couldn't help but laugh that Jace couldn't' walk with his own wife. He was stuck with a girl that Izzy met in college who was clearly into him, and talked a lot.

The music started and they made their way down the aisle. When it was Izzy's turn, Alec looked at Simon, and he couldn't help but smile at how awestruck Simon looked at the sight of Izzy, and he knew that Simon would always protect his little sister, and if he didn't, he would have Alec to answer too.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

The reception was in full swing and everyone was having an amazing time. Alec was currently sitting at the table watching everyone dance when Max came over and sat on his lap. He was dancing the night away, and Alec guessed he was in need of a break. Magnus joined Alec a few moment later, and it turned into a nice family gathering because soon everyone was huddled in a circle talking.

"When am I getting my brother daddy?" Max asked and Alec looked at Magnus. They hadn't told their family they were in the process of adopting again.

"A brother?" Izzy asked.

"Uh, I guess we have some news for you all." Alec said.

"You're adopting another child?" Maryse asked.

"Yes. We are currently in the process of adopting another boy. He's about 5." Magnus explained.

"Well where is he?" Robert asked.

"Buenos Aires." Magnus said.

"Please explain." Jace asked and Alec laughed and looked at Magnus.

"A couple months ago, I was in Buenos Aires on business and I took a day to explore the city." Magnus explained. "When I was walking I noticed a little boy following me. At first I didn't think anything of it, but after an hour, I decided to ask him if he was lost." Magnus said. "When I asked if he'd like me to take him back to his home, he nodded, and I told him to led the way. He led me to a dumpster he was sleeping next too, and my heart broke." Magnus said and Alec took his hand in his. "I brought him to the equivalent of Child Protective Services, and asked if he was an orphan or a run away. They had no information on him, and he didn't even remember having parents. I couldn't do nothing, so I asked if I had a chance of adopting."

"And they just said yes?" Izzy asked.

"No. They wanted to meet us as a family to see if we were suitable." Magnus explained. "We went down a week later and Max and him bonded instantly. They told us that we needed to go through the process, and than we could bring him home."

"How long until he's here?" Clary asked.

"The paperwork should be done next week, and than we go and get him." Alec said. "Max has been bugging us since we went to meet him about him coming home."

"I just want my brother." Max said and it was the sweetest thing everyone heard.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Maryse asked.

"Because everyone was worried about Beverly, and in the middle of planning Izzy's wedding, I didn't need to as something else to your already long list. Plus it's not like he was here. He had to stay in Argentina until the paperwork was finished." Alec explained. "We were going to tell you after the wedding was over." He said and everyone nodded.

"What's his name?" Robert asked.

"Rafael, but he prefers to be called Rafe." Magnus said and everyone nodded again.

"Well, we can't wait to meet him." Robert said and Alec and Magnus smiled.

"He's the sweetest boy. He's pretty shy around people, but once he warms up to you, he one of the nicest kids." Magnus explained.

"This family just keeps getting bigger and bigger." Maryse said with the biggest smile on her face. The family talked a little more about the newest additions, both Simon and Rafe, and Alec couldn't help but smile at how excited everyone was to meet him. Max had fallen asleep in Alec's arms, and they decided to take in the house so he could sleep peacefully. Alec tucked him in and kissed his head followed by Magnus.

"Night daddy." Max said sleepily.

"Night Maxy." Alec said.

"Night Papa." Max said and Magnus smiled.

"Night Blueberry." Magnus said and than Max was out light a light. Magnus took Alec's hand in his and they went back to the reception. The rest of the night both Magnus and Alec couldn't stop smiling and thinking about Rafe. They were excited about getting a new addition, and how happy they were that they were so receptive of Rafe without even meeting him yet. Everything was falling into place, and they couldn't wait to start living as one big happy family.


	27. Chapter 27

**Authors Note:**

 **Coming to an end shortly, but I absolutely love this story, and where it's gone! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Seven**

 **Time Jump – Beverly's First Birthday**

Jace and Clary couldn't believe that Beverly was one already. It seemed like yesterday they brought her home, and now they had already spent a year of their lives loving that little girl, and it seemed impossible but Clary and Jace loved her more and more every single day.

Clary had Beverly in her highchair feeding her breakfast, and singing along to her favorite song to listen to at the moment, which was a Panic! At the Disco song, and it made Clary laugh every single time. When it came on in the car, Beverly instantly perked up, and started dancing along which cause Jace and Clary endless amounts of happiness.

 _I chime in with a_  
 _"Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?"_  
 _No, it's much better to face these kinds of things_  
 _With a sense of poise and rationality_  
 _I chime in_  
 _"Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?"_  
 _No, it's much better to face these kinds of things_  
 _With a sense of_

Jace heard Clary singing in the kitchen and when he walked in Clary was dancing and Beverly was doing her signature dance and Jace couldn't get the smile off his face as he saw his two girls smiling and enjoying life.

"You know, I don't think that's an appropriate song for a one year old." Jace said and Clary looked at him.

"She doesn't know what they're saying." Clary said and Jace laughed. He went over and pressed his lips to Beverly's head, and than one to Clary's lips.

"What time do we have to be at my parents?" Jace asked as he started to feed Beverly.

"Lunch is at 12, so everyone is getting there between 11:30 and 11:45." Clary said and Jace nodded.

"Here comes the airplane." Jace said in his baby voice and Beverly immediately opened her mouth to receive the food. "Sounds good." Jace said.

"What would you like for breakfast?" Clary asked.

"What are you having?" Jace asked.

"I didn't really having anything in mind, so whatever you want I can make." Clary said.

"French toast?" Jace suggested.

"I'll start that right away." Clary said and Jace looked back at Beverly.

"You're mommy is the best." Jace cooed. "You're lucky to have her." Jace said and Clary couldn't help but smile. She was truly blessed in life, and despite the hardships, everything couldn't be more perfect.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

Jace walked into his parents house with Beverly in his arms. Max and Rafe were in the living room playing, and the rest of the adults were all sitting in the kitchen drinking wine, and talking. When Jace walked in all their attention focused on Beverly. Maryse walked over and scooped her out of Jace's arms.

"Happy birthday my little angel." Maryse cooed and Beverly giggled. "You've gotten so big."

"She's an eater." Jace said. "We actually have to cut her off otherwise she'll eat forever." He said and everyone laughed.

"Yea, she gets that from you." Clary said as she entered the kitchen. "Oh, is that wine?" Clary asked and Jocelyn nodded and poured her a glass. "You're DD and on baby duty tonight babe. I'm going to unwind." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"Of course." Jace said and Clary smiled and took a sip of her wine.

About 20 minutes later Izzy and Simon walked and said their hellos. Once everyone was there it was tine for lunch. Everyone took their seats and lunch was served. The table was filled with light conversation, and mostly talking about what everyone's latest project was. Izzy was still making clothes for Beverly, and showing her ideas to Clary who was loving every single one of them.

After lunch was over, Jace took Beverly into the living room, and put her on the floor and surrounded her with the blocks she was obsessed with. Max and Rafe were in the corner playing with Legos, and all the adults made their way into the living room with chill. Clary sat next to Jace and he tucked her into his side.

"Simon and I have some news." Izzy said after a moment. "We're pregnant." She nearly screamed and everyone cheered. Jace stood up and pulled Izzy into him.

"That's amazing Iz." Jace said and she smiled.

"How far along are you?" Maryse asked as she gave her daughter a hug.

"Almost 3 months." Izzy said. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, I mean we only found out like 2 weeks ago, and we took some time to process the news."

"Totally understandable sweetheart." Robert said. "Our fourth grandchild, damn this family is multiplying." He said and everyone laughed.

"How are you feeling?" Clary asked.

"I'm tired, but other than that I feel great." She said as she rubbed her bump. Clary noticed that she was wearing baggier clothes, and that was most likely to keep the secret, and everything.

"I can't wait until they get here." Maryse said.

"I know. I'm so anxious." Izzy said.

The women continued to talk about baby things, and were gushing about what Izzy was going to have. Beverly started fussing so Jace picked her up and started bouncing her around to calm her down.

"Dada." She muttered and Jace froze.

"What was that Bev?" Jace asked.

"Dada." She said a little louder and a smile broke out on his face.

"I knew I was your favorite." He whispered in her ear. "Clary, check this out." Jace said and Clary looked at him. "Do it again Bev." Jace said.

"Dada!" She said proudly and Clary's jaw dropped.

"I can't believe she'd turn her back on me." Clary said faking sadness. She got off the couch and made her way over to Jace and Beverly.

"She's a daddy's girl. Always has been." Jace said as he tickled her belly making her giggle again.

"That she is." Clary said. Jace put his arm around Clary and pulled her into him. Today had been a good day. And it really was only the beginning.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – Seven Months Pregnant**

Saying Izzy was uncomfortable would be an understatement. She couldn't even lay down without being in pain, and she hated it, and so did Simon. She wanted to help her in anyway he could, but there was only so much he could do for her. She had to stop working a couple weeks ago, and Izzy was going stir crazy in the house. She wanted to be active again, and she wanted to get back to her old self.

It was a normal Thursday, and Izzy was sitting on the couch watching whatever TV show was on that didn't bore her. Simon was working, so she was basically just left alone with her thoughts, and the occasional kicks her daughter decided to grace her with. Izzy knew that she was going to love being a mother, and she knew Simon was going to be the best father, but the process is what she wasn't a fan of, and she couldn't picture having another one anytime soon or if ever. The doorbell rang, and Izzy was confused, but pulled herself off the couch and went to see who it was. When she opened the door she was shocked to see Clary, Jace and Beverly.

"What are you three doing here?" Izzy asked.

"Simon said you were bored out of your mind here, so Clary and I decided to take a nice long weekend and visit." Jace said and Izzy's heart swelled.

"Thanks guys." Izzy said and they made their way into the living room.

"How are you feeling?" Clary asked as she set up Beverly's playpen and stuck her in there.

"I'm so tired, and in a lot of pain. I just can't wait until she gets here." Izzy told her.

"I understand that." Clary said. "But it's all worth it Iz. Trust me."

"I'm highly considering never having another child. One is enough for me." Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"I thought the same thing, but Beverly is going to be 2 soon, and…." Clary trailed off as her hands went to her stomach and Izzy's eyes widened.

"Oh my god. You're pregnant?" She said and Clary hushed her. "Jace doesn't know yet?" Izzy asked and Clary shook her head.

"Not yet. I just found out last week." Clary said.

"When are you going to tell him?" Izzy asked.

"Soon. I hope." Clary said and Jace walked back into the room and Beverly immediately perked up. She was such a daddy's girl and it warmed Izzy's heart to see it. She could only hope that her daughter would be that attached to Simon. Izzy looked at Clary and nudged her. Clary took a deep breath and looked at Jace. "Jace."

"Yea babe?" Jace said as he sat on the ground with Beverly in his lap.

"Uh, I have something I need to tell you." Clary said as her voice shook and Jace looked up with concern flooding his eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Jace asked.

"Everything is more than okay." Clary said. She looked over at Izzy who gave her a thumbs up. "I'm just going to come right out and say it. I'm pregnant."

"You're what?" Jace said completely shocked at the bomb Clary just dropped.

"I'm pregnant." Clary said again and instead of confusion, pure joy broke out on Jace's face.

"You're serious?" Jace asked which caused Clary and Izzy to laugh.

"Why would I joke about that?" Clary said and Jace laughed and crawled over to her.

"I don't know." He said and Clary smiled. "We're going to have another baby?" Jace asked.

"We're going to have another baby." Clary said.

"You hear that Bev, you're going to be a big sister!" Jace cheered and picked Beverly up and she giggled. "I can't believe we're going to have another baby."

"Me either." Clary said.

"Have you had your first appointment yet?" Jace asked.

"I have it scheduled for next week." Clary said and Jace smiled.

"Ahhhh. We're going to have another baby." Jace said as he continued to play with Beverly.

"I don't think I've ever seen him so happy." Izzy whispered to Clary and she just smiled.

"He's such a softy." Clary said and Izzy laughed and they both focused back on Jace.

The rest of the night went by so well. When Simon got home Clary and Jace filled him in on the news, and Simon was just as ecstatic. Their family was growing exceptionally fast but everyone loved it. There were so many kids running around at family functions, and everyone couldn't picture it any other way. Everything was working out, and everyone as happy, and that's all that matter.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Rafe, Max, we have to leave soon!" Magnus called to his sons.

"Papa, where are we going again?" Max asked.

"We're going to visit Aunt Izzy in the hospital." Magnus explained.

"Is she okay?" Max asked.

"She's fine blueberry. She just had your cousin." Magnus said.

"Is that where daddy is?" Rafe asked.

"Yes." Magnus said. "Come on, get your shoes on." He said and the nodded and started Velcroing their shoes. Once they were finished Magnus loaded them into the car and made their way to the hospital. Alec had told him what room they were in so Magnus grabbed Rafe, and Max's hand and started walking through the hospital. When they got to room 110, Magnus knocked softly before opening the door.

"Daddy!" Max said as he ran towards Alec. Alec bent down and scooped him into his arms. Rafe was right behind him and barreled into his legs.

"Hi boys." Alec said.

"Hello love." Magnus said as he walked over and gave Alec a sweet kiss.

"Where is our cousin?" Rafe asked.

"Right behind you." Alec said and they looked towards Izzy.

"She's so tiny." Rafe said and everyone laughed.

"She's only a couple hours old boys." Alec reminded them. Alec set Max down and Rafe took his hand in his and they made their way over to Izzy. Jace helped them both onto the bed as they looked at their cousin in awe.

"What's her name?" Max asked.

"This is Emily Lewis." Izzy said and the boys both nodded.

Everyone stayed at the hospital for a couple hours to get acquainted for the newest addition to the family. Jace and Clary had left first. Clary being almost 4 months pregnant was pretty exhausted, and she wanted to rest. When Magnus notice Max drifting he knew it was time to head home. Alec scooped him up in his arms, and Magnus grabbed onto Rafe hand and they made their way out of the hospital. When they got home Alec changed Max and put him to bed. They did the same with Rafe, but before they could leave he started talking.

"Are we going to get a sister?" Rafe asked and Magnus and Alec both looked at each other.

"I don't know buddy." Magnus said. They had never talked about having another child.

"I want a sister." Rafe said. "I love Max, but I think a sister would be cool." He said and Alec and Magnus smiled.

"We'll talk about it." Alec said and Rafe smiled.

"Goodnight papa." Rafe said.

"Goodnight Rafe."

"Goodnight daddy." He than said.

"Goodnight Rafe." Alec said and Magnus shut his door and made their way to the kitchen. It was only about 8 and they weren't nearly tired enough to head to bed, and apparently they had a conversation to hold.

"Who knew they would be so eager to have siblings." Magnus finally said and Alec laughed.

"I mean, Max was thrilled to be getting Rafe as a brother." Alec said. "I could see the way Rafe looked at Emily. It was almost like he had this instinctual need to protect her. Maybe he wants."

"It would make sense." Magnus said. "His whole life he's spent living on the streets. His first instinct is to take care of people. Remember when Max tripped and scrapped his knee and started crying? Rafe was by his side immediately and didn't leave until he knew Max was okay."

"I guess the real question is, do you want another child." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"You know I'd love to raise another child with you." Magnus said.

"So do we start looking, or what?" Alec asked and Magnus laughed.

"I think we need to do something before adopting another child." Magnus said and Alec looked confused. Magnus reached into his pocket where he was keeping the ring. When he pulled it out Alec looked shocked.

"Magnus." Alec said.

"You are the most important thing in my life." Magnus started. "Apart from our kids that is." He said and Alec smiled. "I've known I wanted to marry you since we were in college, but we were faced with so many obstacles, that I just felt like it was never the right time." Magnus admitted. "I love our life together, but god damn it I want to make you my husband." Magnus said and Alec laughed. "So Alexander Gideon Lightwood, would you do the honor of marrying me?" Magnus asked and Alec smiled.

"Absolutely." Alec said. Magnus lipped the ring on his finger and kissed Alec. When they pulled apart Alec lifted the chain form his neck and took the ring off it. "It seems only fitting that you get a ring too."

"But that's your family ring." Magnus said.

"I know. And I wouldn't want to give it to anyone else." Alec said. He slipped it on Magnus finger, and Magnus couldn't stop smiling.

"I love you Alexander." Magnus said.

"I love you too Magnus." Alec said and they sealed their new relationship status with a kiss. Alec was thrilled to be getting married, and thrilled about possibly adding a new addition to their family. Everything was so perfect that sometimes it didn't even seem to real to either Alec or Magnus but they loved it, and wouldn't' trade it for the world.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Disclaimer, I don't own Panic! At the Disco, or that song! I just thoroughly enjoy it and thought it was a good choice for this story! Hope you all enjoyed! :)**


	28. Chapter 28

**Authors Note:**

 **So, I think this is going to have one more chapter, and than and epilogue. I've loved writing this story, but it's coming to a great end, and I'm super happy with it! Now, this is pretty light with Clace and Sizzy, but super Malec oriented! And normally I'd like to make them proportionate, but Malec had some much to do than Clace and Sizzy and thats just how it worked out, and I'm sorry if you don't like that but I enjoy their section and this it's adorable! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Eight**

 **Time Jump – Birth**

When Clary went into labor Jace wasn't as freaked out since he'd been through it before, but he was nervous. They had decided to keep the gender a secret, and he was excited to see what they were going to have this time. He would be happy with a boy or a girl, because Clary carried this baby to full term, and the doctor had assured them time and time again that the baby was healthy, and that was truly all Jace and Clary cared about.

They had been in the hospital for about 5 hours now. Beverly was with Alec and Magnus, and their parents were in the waiting room waiting for a nurse to get them so they could meet their next grandchild. Everyone was right, this family was growing exceptionally fast, but it was truly a blessing for everyone. When the door to Clary's hospital room opened and in walked the doctor, Jace prayed that it was time for Clary to push.

"Let's check you out Clary." The doctor said and we both nodded. "Looks like you're ready to push." She said and Clary sighed.

"It's about damn time." Clary said causing the doctor to laugh.

"Next contraction, push." The doctor said and she nodded. Jace took hold of Clary's hand and when the next contraction hit Jace felt like his hand was about to fall off, but he wouldn't want it any other way.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

Jace walked into the waiting area and the whole family stood up and looked at him and Jace couldn't get the smile off his face.

"Would you all like to come meet my son?" Jace said and everyone got the biggest smile on their faces.

"You have a boy." Maryse said and Jace nodded.

"I have a son." Jace said and Maryse walked over and hugged him. "Come on." Jace said and he led them to the room. When he opened the door Clary was holding her little boy and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"He is so precious." Jocelyn said and Clary looked up and nodded.

"That he is." Clary said.

"What's his name?" Maryse asked.

"Stephan Alexander Lightwood." Jace said proudly.

"That's wonderful." Maryse said. "Truly wonderful."

"Would you like to hold him?" Clary asked and Maryse nodded. She picked the little bundle of blue up out of Clary's arms. Jace took a seat next to her and put his arm around her. He kissed her temple and Clary couldn't help but smile. This birth was so much more pleasant for everyone, and just seeing everyone smiling and enjoying the life that Clary and Jace created was something they missed with Beverly, and seeing it now, it was something that filled Clary's heart with love and joy.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

Everyone mostly left by now, and Alec and Magnus decided to bring the kids over to the hospital. Beverly was too young to really know what was going on but Max and Rafe were excited to meet their new cousin, just like they were every time they were told someone else was joining the family.

Jace was sitting in the chair rocking Stephan when Alec and Magnus walked into the room. Max and Rafe immediately ran towards Jace while Alec walked over and handed Beverly to Clary.

"I miss you baby girl." Clary cooed to Beverly and she simply giggled.

"You have a son." Alec said and Jace looked up and smiled proudly.

"I have a son." Jace said and Alec smiled.

"What's his name?" Magnus asked. Jace looked up and smiled even wider.

"Stephan Alexander Lightwood." Jace said and Alec smiled.

"Means a lot man." Alec said and Jace smiled.

"Would you like to hold him?" Jace asked and Alec nodded. He handed Stephan over to Alec and Jace couldn't miss the huge smile Alec got on his face. Jace looked over at Clary and Beverly was curled into her chest sucking her thumb. Looking between his beautiful wife and daughter, and his amazing little boy, Jace knew he was lucky man.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy was so in love with Emily that she couldn't even wrap her mind around it. She didn't think she could love anything so much in her life, but the moment she saw her little girl, she knew that nothing would ever happen to her, she would make sure of that.

Simon also never knew what instant love felt like. I mean, he knew he loved Izzy more than anything else in the world, but the love he felt for Emily was something that he couldn't describe. When Simon would get home, he would cuddle on the couch with Emily and love every lazy minute of it.

Emily was turning 7 months old today, and the minute Simon walked into the house and heard the giggles of his daughter and his wife, nothing else mattered. He walked into the living room to see Izzy sitting on the ground playing with Emily and his heart swelled.

"If it isn't my two favorite people." Simon said and Izzy looked up.

"You're home." Izzy said with a huge smile.

"Of course I'm home." Simon said with an amused look.

"It's just, it's a Monday and you normally work late on Mondays'." Izzy said and Simon put his stuff down and made his way over to her.

"My baby is 7 months old today. I wasn't working late." Simon said and Izzy smiled, picked Emily up and handed her to Simon.

"How sweet of you." Izzy said.

"I'm not going to miss any milestone." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"7 months is hardly a milestone, but I understand what you mean." Izzy said. "She's growing up too fast."

"She really is." Simon agreed. "I mean, look at the chubby little legs. Soon they'll be walking all around this place." Simon said as he played with her legs and Emily continued to giggle.

"Clary was released today." Izzy said. "Her and Stephan are doing well, and Jace is over the moon happy to have his son at home."

"I bet." Simon said. "I know he loves Beverly more than anything on this planet, but I always pictured Jace having a boy."

"Me too. I really hope he looks like him too." Izzy said.

"Let's just hope he isn't as arrogant." Simon said in his baby voice as he cooed at Emily. "Isn't that right baby? You don't want your cousin Stephan to be as arrogant as Uncle Jace do you?" He cooed and Izzy laughed.

"He's mellowed out a lot since his high school days." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Very true. Clary was really a turning point for him." Simon said and Izzy nodded. Emily started fussing and Izzy picked her off Simon's lap.

"Feeding time." Izzy said as she got herself situated.

"Speaking of feeding. What would you like for dinner?" Simon asked getting off the floor.

"Surprise me." Izzy said and Simon nodded. He went into the kitchen and instead of cooking decided to order Chinese. When he got back to the living room Emily was done eating and Izzy was covering herself back up. Simon took a seat next to her and she was confused. "What about dinner?"

"It will be here in 30 minutes." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"Didn't feel like cooking?" She asked.

"Didn't feel like being away from my girls longer than need be." Simon said and Izzy smiled. She leaned into Simon while Emily curled on her chest in her food coma and started to lightly snore. They stayed like that until the doorbell rang. Simon got up and paid for the food and returned to Izzy in the living room. He handed her the food, picked Emily up and placed her in her swinger. He grabbed some forks and joined Izzy back on the floor where they watched TV and ate dinner. Simon couldn't get over how perfect his life was, and Izzy couldn't believe that Simon never gave up after he knew all the terrible things she'd done and how awful she was to him.

Izzy was incredibly lucky Simon was as kind as he was.

Simon was incredibly lucky that Izzy saw something in him and gave him a chance.

And one day, Emily will know how incredibly lucky she is to have those two as parents, not matter how many times she gets grounded.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Alec asked. "Max is only 3, and Rafe is only 5."

"Alexander, we've talked about this. Extensively." Magnus said.

"I know. I just want to make sure." Alec said and Magnus smiled.

"I'm ready if you are." Magnus said.

"I'm ready." Alec said and than the door opened and in walked Amanda.

"It's so good to see you both again. How's little Max?" She asked.

"A terror." Magnus said with a laugh. "But he's growing spectacularly, and he's such a joy."

"Ah, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that you two adopted him. He would still be in the system if it weren't for you too." She said.

"He's the perfect addition to our family." Alec said.

"And I heard you adopted another one." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"Yea. His name is Rafe. He's from Argentina." Magnus said. "Max and him are so close."

"And you're here for another one?" Amanda asked and Alec and Magnus both laughed.

"Yea." Magnus simply said. "But this time we were looking to adopt a girl." He explained.

"Adolescent, child, toddler or infant?" She asked.

"We're not picky." Alec said.

"Okay. I'll grab some files, and you can look through them." She said and they nodded and she left the room.

"We could get a teenage girl, a 7 year old, a toddler or an infant." Alec said and Magnus laughed.

"You said we weren't picky." Magnus said and Alec smiled. Amanda walked back in the room with a stack of files, which cause Alec and Magnus's eyes both to widen.

"These are the ladies who I think would be perfect for you." She said. "I'll give you so time to look them over." She said. Alec and Magnus nodded before she left the room.

"You ready to potentially get a daughter?" Magnus asked. Alec smiled and nodded and they picked up the first file.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

By the time they made it through all the files, there was one girl who stuck out to both Alec and Magnus. She was 4 years old, and taken out of an abusive home. She had been in the system for about 8 months, and was about to get adopted but the family just couldn't deal with her nightmares, or her sudden mood changes. It was something that Alec and Magnus both felt strongly about, and they wanted to do everything in their power to help her in any way that they could. When Amanda walked back in she had her usual smile on her face.

"Did any of them stick out to you?" She asked.

"Yes." Alec asked. "Her name is Madison."

"Ah yea. Madison." Amanda said. "Such a tragic case. I'll call her social worker and we'll set up a meeting." She said and Alec and Magnus nodded.

"Thank you for your help." Alec said as they stood up.

"Anything for you two." Amanda said. They gave her a hug and headed towards the Lightwood's house to pick up Max and Rafe.

When they got there, Max and Rafe were in the living room watching something on TV so Alec and Magnus made their way into the kitchen to see Alec's parents.

"How did it go?" Maryse asked.

"We looked through a bunch of files of kids. All different ages, and we found a little girl who just spoke to us both." Alec said.

"What's her name?" Robert asked.

"Madison." Magnus said. "Was taken out of an abusive home. Was almost adopted but the family couldn't deal with the nightmares and mood changes she came with."

"That's so sad." Maryse said. "And you think you'll be able to handle her?"

"We have a tendency to take in the kids nobody wants." Alec said. "But that makes us want them all the more. I mean, we see it in Max and Rafe every day. Once they realize that someone wants them, you can just see a vast improvement." Alec explained. "I don't think Madison knows what it feels like to be taken care of, and she deserves that."

"You two are seriously the most kind hearted individuals I've ever met." Maryse said as she hugged them both.

"Everyone deserves to chance at a loving family." Magnus said. "And that's what Alec and I want to provide for those kids who other people think are problematic."

"That's very noble of you." Robert said.

"It's the right thing to do." Alec said and Magnus nodded in agreement.

"How were Max and Rafe?" Magnus asked.

"Perfect." Maryse said. "They are the best of friends."

"They do love each other like crazy." Magnus said.

"If you get this little girl, you're going to have a 3, 4, and 5 year old. I hope you know that." Maryse said and Alec laughed.

"We thought about it, but it didn't both us. Just means they'll be that much closer." Alec said and they nodded.

"Rafe, Max can you come in here!" Magnus called. And soon they were running into the kitchen. "What do you say to Grandma and Grandpa?"

"Thank you." They said in unison.

"Anything for my grandsons." Maryse said as she kneeled down and they ran into her arms. "We'll have another play date soon." She said and they nodded.

"Come on boys, lets go home." Alec said and Max and Rafe made their way over to them. They got them situated in the car and started driving home.

"Did you get us a sister yet?" Rafe asked.

"Not yet kids." Magnus said. "Hopefully soon though."

"Really?" Max cheered.

"Really. We just have to be patient okay?" Alec asked and the boys nodded. Magnus and Alec could both see how happy the boys were at getting a sister, and that just made adopting even more special to Alec and Magnus.

 **Time Jump – Five Days Later**

Magnus and Alec were sitting in the coffee shop waiting to meet with Madison and her social worker. They were both incredibly nervous to meet this little girl, but they were also incredibly excited to get to interact with her. They wanted to bring Max and Rafe along to see how they interacted, but the social worker said that Madison was really shy and having a lot of people around her would make her uncomfortable and that was the last thing Alec and Magnus wanted.

When the bell rang, they looked up and saw an older woman, and a little black haired, blue-eyed girl walk in Magnus nearly fainted. She looked just like Alec and it made him just fall in love with her immediately.

"Alexander and Magnus?" The woman asked.

"That's us." Alec said. "And please just call me Alec."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." She said and we nodded. "I'm Christina, and this little cutie is Madison."

"Hi Madison." Magnus said. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hi." She simply said.

"Wow. She normally doesn't talk to people." Christina said.

"Hopefully that's a good sign." Alec said.

"Why don't you two tell us something about yourself?" Christina asked and Alec and Magnus nodded.

"Well, we've been together since college." Magnus said. "We've had out fair share of bumps and bruises but we made it through them all."

"We have two sons." Alec said. "Max is 3, almost 4 years old, and Rafe is almost 6."

"How did you two come to adopt them?" Christina asked.

"We found Max next to a dumpster." Magnus explained. "He was abandoned and born addicted to drugs. We took him to the hospital, but he stuck with us." He said with a smile. "Amanda told us that he would mostly likely spend the rest of his life in the system because nobody adopts a boy with medical problems, and that kind sparked our determination to adopt him. We wanted to give him a home."

"And the other boy, Rafe you said?" She asked and they nodded.

"Magnus was on a business trip in Argentina and Rafe was following him around. When Magnus offered to take him home, Rafe brought him to an ally where he slept." Alec explained. "Magnus couldn't leave him there so he took him to CPS, and he wasn't reported missing, or knew anything about his family. He'd been living on the streets practically his whole life." Alec said. "Magnus asked if it was possible if we could adopt him, and they said they wanted a meeting with the family, so a week alter we flew down and Max and Rafe got along instantly, and we started the paperwork. It's been amazing ever since."

"Wow. You two just love helping kids." Christina said.

"I come from a family that wasn't all that nice as well." Magnus explained. "And Alec lost his little brother some time ago." Magnus said as he took Alec's hand in his. "Family means everything to us, and being gay, and in this society, we've faced our fair share of backlash, but we've always come out on top. We're underdogs, and we like to show the world that damaged doesn't mean unlovable."

"Oh my." Christina said as she wiped her tears away. "That is so touching."

"It's just how we feel." Alec said.

"Madison, would you like to say anything?" Christina asked the little girl.

"I like your hair." She said as she pointed to Magnus and they all smiled.

"Thank you. I like yours too." Magnus said as he played with a curl and Madison giggled.

"Is it possible to get your other two sons here? I thought she would be a lot more reserved but she seems rather comfortable around you two, and I'd love to see her interact with the boys." Christina said.

"Of course. One minute." Alec said as he excused himself from the table and called his mom.

"Hello?" Maryse answered.

"Hey mom, can you bring Rafe and Max to the coffee shop? We want to introduce them to Madison." Alec said.

Of course. Be there in 10." She said. Alec hung up and made his way back to the table.

"My mom should be here with them in 10." Alec said and Christina nodded.

"Hey Madison." Magnus said. "Do you like to color?"

"Yes." Madison said and Magnus smiled. He got up, went to the waiter and got a piece of paper and come crayons and went back to the table.

"You wanna draw a picture?" Magnus asked and she nodded. She walked over to him and she climbed onto his lap and started coloring. Alec couldn't but smile, and when Alec looked at Christina, he could tell she was surprised at how comfortable Madison was with Magnus, but she had a smile on her face because Alec could tell she knew this meeting was going well, and she was happy about that.

When Maryse finally got there Max and Rafe ran into Alec and he hugged them both. Max got on Alec's lap and Rafe took Madison's seat while Maryse stood there and smiled.

"I'm Maryse, Alec's mother." She introduced herself.

"I'm Christina's social worker." She said.

"Very nice to meet you." Maryse said. "Well, I just got a call form Jace and Clary is extremely sick and he needs to get to work, so I'm going to go babysit Beverly and Stephan." She said and Alec nodded. "Call if you need anything."

"Thanks mom." Alec said. She kissed his head, kissed Max and Rafe and than left.

"Wow. Lots of kids." Christina said.

"My brother has 2 kids, and my sister has 1. She lives in Connecticut though." Alec explained and Christina nodded.

"Is this our sister?" Max asked.

"No blueberry. But her name is Madison." Alec said.

"Hi Maddie." Max said and Madison looked up and smiled.

"Hi." She said.

"I'm Max. I'm gonna be your brother." He said and Alec shook his head and laughed.

"Cool." Madison said and went back to coloring. Alec sat Max down on the seat and motioned for Christina to follow him away from the group. Once they were far enough away Alec spoke.

"How soon can we foster her?" Alec asked.

"Normally it would take a couple days." She said and Alec felt defeated. "But I can see how comfortable she is you with you guys, and she needs that. So I can rush the paperwork, and she can go with you tonight."

"Really?" Alec asked shocked.

"Really. I've been her social worker since she was pulled from her home. I was so worried about her, and when her other adoption fell threw, I was devastated. She's a sweet girl, and she deserves the world." Christina said. Alec nodded and they made their way back to the table. He kneeled in front of Madison and smiled.

"Hey sweet pea, how would you like to come home with us tonight?" Alec asked and Madison looked at him.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really." Alec said.

"Would I have to sleep on the floor?" She asked and it broke Alec's heart.

"You can have my bed!" Max said. "I can share with Rafe. You can borrow some of my PJ's too. Papa bought them for me, so they are really colorful!" Max said with a laugh that caused Madison to smile.

"What do you say sweet pea?" Magnus asked.

"I'd like that." She said and Alec felt like crying.

"Well, than it's settled." Christina said. "I'll rush that paperwork for you."

"Thank you so much." Magnus said.

"Take care of her. She's special." Christina said.

"Don't worry, we will." Alec reassured her. The spent another hour in the coffee shop, and Max, Rafe and Madison were bonding incredibly well. They felt like a complete family, and they couldn't wait to make it office with the adoption and their marriage.


	29. Chapter 29

**Authors Note:**

 **So, this is the last official chapter of this story, and I can't believe it's over! There will be an epilogue, but I have no idea what I'm going to write about, but it will be in the future, not too distantly, but far enough! Thank you for everyone who has taken this journey with me! I hope you loved it as much as I have! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Chapter Twenty Nine**

 **Time Jump – Stephan's First Birthday**

Clary and Jace couldn't believe that Stephan was already one. It seemed liked yesterday that he was just coming home, and now he was walking. He was an over achiever, that's for sure, but when he saw Beverly walking, Clary and Jace figured he didn't want to be left behind, and just stood and started walking. They were thrilled, but now that kid didn't stay still. He was running all over the house, but Clary and Jace couldn't imagine doing anything else but chasing them around.

Beverly also loved her little brother. She was thrilled to have a friend, and the way they acted together made Jace and Clary really happy. Everyone was meeting at the Lightwoods soon and Clary and Jace were getting the kids ready.

"Beverly, can you come here." Clary called.

"Yes mommy?" Beverly said.

"I need you to go get your shoes sweetie. We need to leave." Clary said and she nodded. She ran to the other room before running back to Clary empty handed.

"I don't know where they are mommy." She said and Clary started looking around the living room.

"There right here sweet pea." Clary heard Jace say. She turned around and he had Stephan on his left side, and the shoes in his right hand.

"Thanks." Clary said as he handed her the shoes. "Take a seat Bev." She said and Beverly took a seat. Clary put the shoes on and than picked Beverly up off the ground and put her jacket on.

"Are we going to see grandma?" Beverly asked.

"Yes baby. We're going to see everyone." Clary said and she got really happy. She skipped out of the house and waited by the car. Jace strapped Stephan in and Clary strapped Beverly in and they were off.

When they got to the Lightwoods, everyone was already there. Max, Rafe, and Madison were in the backyard playing, Emily was in the living room watching a movie, and the adults were in the kitchen. Jace out Stephan on the couch with Emily, and Beverly agreed to watch them both, which Clary and Jace thought was adorable. She was such a big sister.

"It's about time you guys got here." Izzy said.

"Sorry, it's hard coordinating with two kids." Clary said and Alec and Magnus laughed.

"We got here on time with three kids." Alec said and Clary rolled her eyes.

"Your kids are 4, 5, and 6. Ours are 3, and 1." Jace said. "They listen to you, Stephan decided today was the day he was going to clean up his toys, and that took 20 minutes." Jace said and everyone laughed.

"Seems he's inherited your OCD." Alec said and Jace just rolled his eyes.

"At least my kids clean up. I've seen your place, and you have toys everywhere." Jace said.

"You stepped on a Lego once, get over it." Magnus said.

"That shit hurt." Jace said and Alec laughed.

"We step on them frequently." Alec said. "We know how much they hurt."

"So clean them up." Jace said.

"It's not out problem." Magnus said. "They need to learn how to clean up themselves." Magnus explained. "Plus, they've gotten better. Max stepped on one the other day and cried for 15 minutes. He now knows not to leave them lying around."

"I'm glad your kid had to get injured because you won't clean up the damn Legos." Jace said with an eye roll and Clary rubbed his back.

"Mommy!" Everyone heard and they all turned around to see Beverly standing there.

"What's wrong sweet pea?" Jace asked as he bent down to her level.

"The movie is over, and I was wondering if we could watch something else." She said.

"Dinner is almost ready." Maryse said. "Why don't you go round up your cousins."

"Otay grandma." Beverly cheered and skipped out of the room.

"Set the table." Maryse said. "All of you." Nobody questioned her, and started setting the table. Once it was done, the kids gathered in the kitchen and took their seats. Maryse stood up and clinked her glass and everyone settled down and looked at her. "Having all of you together today means a lot to us." She said. "There was a moment in my life, and in all of yours, where I thought life couldn't possibly go on." She said and Jace and Clary looked at each other. She leaned into him and he kissed the top of her head. "But than Clary, and Simon, and Magnus came into the picture and helped my kids out of a tough situation." She said and each of them took a moment to look at their significant other. "And I don't think I've thanked you for that." She said and everyone smiled. "Back than I never knew how bright the future could be. It seemed so dim at the time, and it was hard to look forward, but looking at this table now. Looking at all my kids, and my grandkids, I couldn't picture a brighter future." She said. "So, thank you for healing my family, and bringing more love into the family, and continuing to make it grow." She said and everyone looked around.

"Uh, continuing?" Jace asked and Maryse simply smiled and sat down. "Last I checked Alec and Magnus weren't adopting anymore, and Clary isn't pregnant." He said and everyone looked at Izzy. "Care to share dear sister?"

"I might be pregnant." She said.

"Might be, or are?" Clary asked.

"Are." She said and the table burst into a fit of congratulations.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Alec asked.

"I was waiting until we were all together." She said. "I thought I was happy with just having Emily. Simon and I were so incredibly content with our family, but Clary had Stephan, and you adopted Madison, and Simon and I looked at each other one night and just decided to start trying."

"How far along are you?" Jace asked.

"A week shy of two months." Izzy said.

"This is amazing." Clary said. "I can't wait to have another niece or nephew!" She said and Izzy smiled. "I'm so happy for you. I knew one wasn't going to be enough for you." She said and everyone laughed.

They ate dinner and talked about baby things, and what was new in their lives. By the time everyone was getting to leave, the babies were all asleep, and the older kids were pretty drained. Jace and Clary loaded Stephan and Beverly into the car and headed home. After Jace and Clary got them changed and in their cribs, they cuddled in their bed and just basked in the love that they had for each other.

Clary had no idea she would find that kind of love in high school. She was expecting to be in her 20's before she found someone that she would even consider settling down with but when Jace walked into her life, she knew that it was over. She was going to love him forever, and she knew that from the moment she felt it. Of course she didn't know he would feel the same way, but he did, and Clary couldn't be more thrilled that even in the most unconventionally ways, she found her forever love, and she would always be grateful for that.

Jace always thought he'd never get married. He was happy with his bachelor lifestyle. Being tied down to someone always used to freak him out, but the minute he saw Clary, he knew he was a goner. There was something about her that just fit with him perfectly. They had been through their fair shares of fights, and scares, but at the end of the day they always got through it. There wasn't anyone else in the world that Jace wasn't to spend forever with than the girl curled into his side right now. He could hear his son and daughter lightly snoring in their rooms, and he looked down at Clary who was sleeping peacefully. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes. His life was perfect, and he finally had a family that was his own, and nothing could compare to the love he felt for those three.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – Birth**

Izzy had been in labor for about 2 hours, but for Simon it felt like a lifetime. Thankfully Maryse and Robert came up to watch Emily, so Simon could focus solely on Izzy. This pregnancy was a lot easier this time, and Simon knew what to expect from Izzy.

This time around they wanted to be surprised, which was driving Izzy crazy, but her and Simon agreed, and now that she was in labor she swore their child was prolonging the birth just to keep them in suspense. Izzy had gotten all the medicine she was allowed, but for some reason she just wasn't dilated, and she thought it was never going to end.

"Let's take a look." The doctor said once she stepped into the room. She lifted the gown and sheets up. "You're ready darling."

"Oh thank god." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"Okay, next contraction, I want you to push." The doctor said. Izzy nodded and Simon offered his hand. The contraction hit and Izzy started pushing as hard as she possibly could. "Oh my. Looks like this little one is eager." The doctor said. "Keep pushing, and your baby will be out in no time." The doctor encouraged, which worked because Izzy started pushing twice as hard. In no time at all, Izzy heard the soft cries and than started crying herself. "You two are the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl."

"Another girl?" Izzy asked and Simon nodded. "We have two daughters." She said and Simon smiled.

"Yea we do." Simon said as he kissed her forehead. "I love you so much Iz."

"I love you more." She said and Simon laughed. the nurse walked over and placed the sweet baby in her arms. "Welcome to the family Talia Lewis." Izzy said and the baby started to calm down.

After about 20 minutes alone, Simon had gone out and invited the family in to meet the baby. Stephan was especially cute because he had never seen a baby before and he was fascinated. When it was time for everyone to leave, Stephan started crying hysterically because he didn't want to leave Tally alone. Simon thought it was extremely sweet, and they promised to have a play date soon, and that got him quiet very quickly. When Emily was introduced to her sister she was slightly confused but than took over the role of protective big sister, and all bets were off. Simon and Izzy both knew they were going to be the best of friends one day, and they couldn't wait for that day to happen.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

Izzy was exhausted, and even that didn't begin to describe how tired she was. Talia was such a night owl, and Emily was such a early bird, it was impossible to get more than 2 hours of sleep, and if Izzy was being completely honestly, she just needed a night off. Which Simon knew, and was going to take full advantage of.

Simon didn't tell Izzy that he took the weekend off. They weren't going far, but they were swapping houses. Robert and Maryse were going to stay at their house for two days, and Simon and Izzy were going to her parents house for two days. Izzy needed a break, and since Simon is working so much these days, Izzy takes on most of the hard stuff, and he wanted to treat her to a full blown sleep even if it was only for 2 nights.

Izzy was sitting on the couch when the doorbell rang. She was incredibly confused because she wasn't expecting anyone. She got off the couch and when she opened the door, she was shocked to see her parents there.

"Mom, dad. What are you doing here?" She questioned.

"Ask your husband." Robert said.

"Why do you have suitcases?" She questioned.

"Again, ask your husband." Maryse said as they made their way into the living room where the kids were, just as Simon walked down the stairs, also holding bags.

"Why does everyone have suitcases?" Izzy asked confused.

"We're going away for the weekend." Simon said.

"Seriously?" Izzy asked confused.

"Seriously. I knew I wouldn't get you to take a real vacation, so we're swapping houses with your parents for two night." Simon said. "You need a break babe, and we're only 2 hours away, so if we're needed at home, we can get back." Simon said and Izzy was so touched.

"You're the best." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"Let's say bye to our babies, and hit the road." Simon said and Izzy nodded.

They said their goodbyes to Emily and Talia and were in the car on their way to her parents house. It might seem weird to be leaving your new born after just a month, but Izzy trusted her parents with both her kids, and she was so looking forward to just being with Simon.

By the time they got to the Lightwood house, it was dark. Simon grabbed the bags and they made their way up to Izzy's old bedroom. Izzy opened the door, and Simon dropped the luggage. Izzy looked at her incredibly thoughtful husband and pulled him into a passionate kiss. It lasted longer than they had intended but neither of them minded.

"What do you want to do now?" Simon asked breathlessly when they broke apart. Izzy eyed the bed and than looked back at Simon.

"I want to go to sleep." Izzy said and Simon laughed.

"Than lets go to bed." Simon said and Izzy smiled. Most men would probably assume since they were home alone, without children to worry about that they were automatically going to have sex, but Simon being as amazing and wonderful as he is, just wanted whatever Izzy wanted, and she couldn't be happier about that.

They got ready for bed and the minute Izzy's body hit that mattress, she knew she wasn't going to be woken up by cries, or woke up with a toddler jumping on them. She cuddled into Simon's side and for the first time in a month welcomed sleep like an old friend. It was 9 at night, and Izzy couldn't wait to be in a dreamland that didn't involved breast-feeding and diapers. She was in the arms of the man she fell head over heels in love with in high school, and she couldn't picture of better place to be.

Simon felt Izzy's breathing even out and he couldn't get the smile off his face. Even though he wasn't tired at all, he didn't mind laying in bed cuddling his wife while she slept. She needed this more than anything in the world, and he was going to hold her has much as he could because after this weekend, who knows when they'd get the chance to just enjoy each others company again. Simon couldn't adequately express how incredibly lucky he was. He had the most amazing wife in the world, and two beautiful little girls back at home. If someone were to tell Simon that he'd meet the love of his life in high school, he would have laughed and said it wasn't possible. But here he was holding his wife, and thinking about his little girls, and he couldn't possibly get any luckier, and when he finally did get tired, his dreams were filled with the three most important women in his life, and he was happy.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Today was the day Alec and Magnus had both been waiting for. It was their wedding day. It felt like it was never going to be planned. Something was wrong, something didn't show up, or Magnus had a major freak out because nothing was going as planned. Alec had to calm him down and remind him that as long as they were surrounded by their family and friends the details didn't matter. Of course Alec knew the details mattered, but Magnus knew what he was talking about. If the silverware wasn't all the same, it wouldn't ruin the wedding, and Magnus accepted that.

Alec was standing at the alter waiting for Magnus to walk down. Magnus wanted to make his grand entrance, and Alec knew that he would want too, and Alec wouldn't want Magnus any other way, and this was his day as much as Alec's so anything that made him happy.

Max was Alec's best man, Rafe was Magnus's best man, and Madison was the flower girl. Everything worked out so perfectly. Their whole family got to be apart of the ceremony, which made it even more special for Alec and Magnus.

When the music started and the doors opened, Madison walked in with a beautiful dress on, designed by Izzy, and lined the aisle with beautiful rose peddles. She walked up to Alec, who pressed his lips to the top of her head. Next came Rafe, who was doubling as the ring barer for Magnus, whereas Max already had his rings while standing next to Alec. When Magnus finally walked in, Alec's breath hitched. Leave it to Magnus to want to do something completely outlandish for their wedding, and wear a suit of gold, but it made everything about him sparkle, and that's who Magnus was. Alec thankfully had gotten Magnus to agree to him wearing black with gold accents, which worked out incredibly well because than Magnus decided he would have black accents. They complimented each other, just like they did in real life.

When Magnus reached Alec, they both had the biggest grins on their faces. Today was their day, a day to finally unify them as a family, even thought they were already one. Today was the official start of the Lightwood-Bane family, and Alec and Magnus couldn't wait.

"Today is going to be a little unorthodox." Jace started. When he asked Alec if he could officiate the wedding, Alec was hesitant, but than he realized, there was nobody else in this world who he would rather have marry him and Magnus than his brother and best friend. Jace got ordained online, and it just made today even more special. "I know Alec asked me that all he needed me to do was pronounce them husband and husband, but me being Jace decided to not listen."

"Of course." Alec said with a laugh. "Cause you couldn't just listen to me on one day. My one day." He said and he had amusement in his voice because deep down he knew Jace wasn't going to listen.

"Alec has been my best friend since the day his family adopted me." Jace started. "I'll admit, the Lightwoods are far from perfect. But there isn't a family in this world who I would rather be with. They took me in, and gave me shelter, food, and a bed and for that I would forever be grateful." Jace said. "We've overcome a lot as a family." Jace said. "Some things that we never thought we could overcome. But just seeing the happiness that Magnus has brought into this family. And the happiness he's brought into Alec's life is something that is irreplaceable." Jace said and Alec looked at Magnus, who had the biggest grin on his face. "I've never seen Alec smile as much as he does with Magnus, and trust me, it was impossible to get this kid to smile when he was younger. And believe me, I tried." Jace said and everyone laughed. "Our family wouldn't be the same without you Magnus. Standing here today, and getting to officially start your journey together is something I'll cherish forever." Jace said and Magnus was truly touched. "Welcome to the family kid." Jace said and everyone laughed. "Now, Alec and Magnus had decided to share their own vows." Jace said and Alec looked at Magnus. They had played a game of rock, paper, scissors to see who went first, and Alec lost.

"Until the day I met you, I was so deep in the closet I was wondering when I'd ever get to Narnia." Alec said and everyone laughed. "I was scared to embrace who I was because I thought my family wouldn't approve. Everyone had a role in the family. Izzy was the only girl, Max was the youngest, Jace was, well Jace as a lot of things." Alec admitted and Jace just smiled. "And I felt like I didn't really fit anywhere." Alec admitted. "Being with you finally gave me a place. A place where I belonged. I knew when we were together I had a purpose, and that was something I didn't feel before." Alec said and Magnus now had tears in his eyes. "When you broke up with me because I wouldn't come out to my family I was crushed. I felt like I had just lost a huge part of who I was and I didn't know how to get that back." Alec said. "It wasn't until you talked me off the ledge, that I decided that I didn't care what anyone thought about my life choices, all that mattered was you. I wanted you and only you." Alec said. "If I had only known how supportive my family was, I wouldn't have waited, and I wouldn't have gone a single day without you in my life." Alec said and Magnus smiled. "You've given me something that I never thought I could have." Alec said as he looked at their children. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life. You've given me a family, you've given me unconditional love, and you've given me a purpose." Alec said and Magnus smiled so widely at him. "I can't wait to continue on in this life with you and experience everything together. As a family."

"I should have gone first." Magnus said as a tear escaped my eye. "Why do you have to be so bad at rock, paper, scissors?" Magnus asked and everyone laughed.

"You picked the game." Alec reminded him and Magnus smiled. He composed himself before taking a deep breath and beginning.

"I never knew what it felt like to be loved." Magnus started. "My home life wasn't good, and I kept to myself because at one point, I just assumed it was in god's will that I got treated poorly by everyone in my life." Magnus said. "Meeting you was like a breath of fresh air. It was something that I wasn't used too. You listened to me, you comforted me when I needed it, you supported me even when my dreams seemed so wild that I'd never reach them." Magnus said and Alec rubbed his knuckles. "I was never ashamed of who I was, but after awhile I started to wonder if the way that I acted, or the way that I dressed was the reason that I was picked on, or made fun of, or hated by my dad." Magnus said and Alec could tell how tough this was for him. "But being with you made me realize that there was someone out there that would appreciate my incredible sense of style." He said and Alec laughed. "My wild dreams, and my need to help those who can't help themselves." Magnus said as he looked at their kids. "You say that I've given you a purpose, well Alexander, you've given me a purpose too." Magnus said with a smile. "You've given me a family that I always wanted but never knew I could have, you've shown me what it means to love and be loved, and you've shown me what it means to be apart of something so whole heartedly." Magnus said. "I treasure our life together. I treasure our amazing kids. And I will treasure you until the end of time." Magnus said. "I love you."

"By the power vested in me." Jace started and Alec and Magnus both looked at him with a funny expression. "I've always wanted to say that." Jace said and everyone laugh. "I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss the husband." Jace said and Magnus and Alec looked at each other. For some reason just looking into each others eyes was just as intimate or even more intimate than a kiss. But damn it did Alec want to kiss his husband. He grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him into him. Everything was drowned out to both Alec and Magnus. It was just them, and that's all that mattered. When they broke apart they registered the applause and the cheers. Max, Rafe, and Madison all ran into them and Alec picked up Max and Madison was lifted off the ground by Magnus.

"We're a real family!" Max cheered and Alec and Magnus had the biggest smiles on their faces.

"Yea we are blueberry." Magnus said and they looked out to their family and friends. Today couldn't get any better, that was the truth.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

The reception was in full swing. Everyone was dancing, the kids were so hyped up on sugar, well the kids that could eat it, and everyone was smiling. It was the perfect day in Alec's opinion, and nothing could possibly top today. He looked out on the dance floor. Jace was holding Clary close while they danced, and Alec could tell he was whispering something to her. Simon and Izzy were dancing close as well, but they had sweet little Talia in between them. The other little kids had crashed about 20 minutes ago, so they were all in the house, Alec was surprised that Talia was still awake, but Izzy said she was a night owl, and Alec simply smiled at everyone.

"What are you thinking about oh husband of mine?" Alec felt Magnus whisper in his ear as he snaked his arms around him from behind.

"Just about how amazing today has been." Alec answered and Magnus couldn't help but smile.

"It was a pretty amazing day." Magnus agreed.

"It really was, but I expected nothing less from you and Izzy planning it." Alec said and Magnus laughed.

"What can I say? I had a vision." Magnus said and Alec smiled.

"A beautiful vision." Alec said. Magnus leaned in and kissed him yet again. He couldn't stop doing it. Maybe it was because today was their day, or maybe because he just couldn't believe that they were finally married. Everything seemed so surreal to Magnus, but everything was also incredibly perfect. They were broken apart when Magnus felt someone tap his leg. They both looked down and saw Madison standing there.

"What can we help you with sweet pea?" Magnus asked.

"Can we dance papa?" She asked and Magnus couldn't help but smile.

"Anything for you." Magnus said. He reached his hand out and Madison and him made his way to the dance floor but before they were completely gone she turned and faced Alec.

"You too daddy." She said and Alec's heart swelled for the 800th time that night. He walked over and took Madison's other hand. They got out to the dance floor and Magnus picked Madison up, they were lucky she was so small for her age. Than Magnus pulled Alec into them. Alec's arm went around Magnus's shoulder and the other one wrapped around Madison's back. The swayed to the music for a few moments before two more attached themselves to their legs. Max was holding onto Alec, and Rafe was holding onto Magnus, and in that moment everyone on that dance floor knew what love was.


	30. Chapter 30

**Authors Note:**

 **Wow, we finally have reached the end of this story, and I can't thank you enough for everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! It truly meant the world to me that you all went on this incredible journey with me, and I have to say, this story has made me proud, and I hope all you wonderful readers, have enjoyed it as much as I have! Another story down, and who knows when I'll start a new one. I still have many unfinished, and I've been a little uninspired recently, so I might take some time to get back in the game, but I haven't given up! Let me know what you all think about this last chapter, and again thank you for all the support and kind words throughout this journey! It really means a lot to me! :)**

 **I also didn't know if you needed this, but I felt it was appropriate to add them, here are the age ranges of the children:**

 **Beverly - 13**

 **Stephan - 11ish**

 **Emily - 12**

 **Talia - 10ish**

 **Rafe - 16, almost 17**

 **Madison - 15**

 **Max - 14**

 **Chapter Thirty - Epilogue**

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

"Beverly! You're going to be late for your softball game if we don't leave right now!" Clary yelled up to her daughter. Beverly had so much energy as a child, that Clary and Jace didn't know what to do with her, and they tried her in a bunch of sports, but she really connected with softball and she's been playing travel softball for about 4 years now.

"I can't find my lucky shoe laces!" Beverly yelled back. "I can't play without my lucky laces!" She said as she ran down the stairs frantically holding her cleats.

"Where was the last time you saw them?" Clary asked.

"After practice last night." She said.

"How did you lose your laces in less than 24 hours?" Clary asked.

"I don't know." Beverly said. "But I can't find them, and I need them!" She said as she started throwing her equipment around.

"Sometimes I wish you got the OCD gene." Clary said. "We're too messy for our own good." She said and Beverly laughed.

"We can leave the OCD to the boys." She said and Clary laughed. Clary looked around to see if Beverly accidently threw them around when she spotted something in Beverly's pocket.

"Uh Bev." Clary said and she turned around. "Check your back pocket." Clary said and Beverly reached her hand around and her eyes lit up.

"Oh my god. You're a saint mom!" She said and I laughed.

"Thank you, but we're going to be late, and everyone is coming this game tonight." Clary said and Beverly ran to the car.

They made their way to the field, and as soon as Clary put the car in park Beverly jumped out and ran towards the field. Clary took her sweet time because she was in no rush. She could see the rest of the Lightwood pack sitting on the bleachers already, and she was glad they were all coming to this game. It determined if they made it to the championship game, so it was a pretty important game.

"I thought you weren't going to make it." Jace said as I stood next to him.

"Beverly couldn't leave without her lucky laces, and she misplaced them." Clary explained.

"Did you find them?" He asked.

"Yea. In the back pocket of her softball pants." Clary said and he laughed. "It scares me how much of my messiness she inherited." Clary said and Jace pulled Clary into him.

"She'll learn to manage it." Jace said and Clary smiled. "Or marry a neat freak like you did, and be forced to give everything a place and make sure it's always there." He said and Clary laughed.

"It comes in handy I must say." Clary laughed and Jace pressed his lips to her head.

They all sat there and watched the softball game. Clary and Jace were on the edge of their seats. Beverly's team was only winning by 1 run, and since they were the home team, the other team got the last at bat, and anything is possible at that point. Beverly played center field, and when the final batter got up, and nailed the ball, Clary and Jace were sure it was over the fence, and Beverly's team had lost. Beverly was running as fast as she could while tracking the ball. She reached out to catch it when she felt herself fall over the fence. Jace and Clary held their breath as they watched Beverly fall. Everything was silent for a minute until Beverly stood up with the ball in her glove. She got the last out, and her team won. The dugout cleared faster than anything Clary and Jace had every seen and they rushed her.

"That's my girl!" Jace yelled and Clary was clapping along with everyone else.

The team made their way over to the dugout and Clary had never seen a smile quite like the one Beverly was wearing. She could see the pride radiating off her, and that just made Clary even prouder of her. The got in line, and shook the other teams hands, before huddling up for a team meeting. The whole Lightwood gang was waiting for it to break and finally congratulate Beverly. Beverly started making her way over to Clary and Jace and he pulled her into the biggest hug.

"I am so proud of you kiddo." Jace said as he kissed Beverly's head.

"Thanks dad." Beverly said.

"Way to stick it to them." Stephan said and him and Beverly bumped fists.

"Thanks little bro." She said. I pulled her into a hug next and kissed her temple.

"Way to run like hell girl." I said and she laughed.

They all decided to go out for a celebratory bit to eat. The whole family being together wasn't rare, but it didn't happen as much as everybody would like, so whenever they got the chance, they took advantage of it. Clary sat next to Jace and just looked around at her family. Beverly, Madison, Emily and Talia were talking up a storm like those girls normally do. Stephan, Max, and Rafe were all messing around at the table like boys normally do. Everyone was engrossed in their own conversation and Clary couldn't help but smile.

"What's going on in that pretty mind of yours?" Jace whispered in her ear.

"Just thinking about how lucky we all are." Clary said and Jace kissed her temple and smiled.

"We are incredibly lucky aren't we?" He asked and Clary simply nodded and leaned into him. Beverly caught her eye and she smiled at her daughter, and she smiled back before returning to the conversation she was having with the girls. Clary and Jace couldn't be happier that their lives turned out the way that they did. Everything in this moment was perfect, and that's all they ever needed.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Izzy was a nervous wreck. Her work was going to be shown at fashion week for the first time, and she couldn't stop pacing, or fidgeting. She wanted everyone to like her work, and she wanted other designers to respect her work. She was technically still a new comer in this industry, and that was the scariest part.

"Mom, you're going to do great." Emily said which caused Izzy to stop pacing.

"You don't know that." Izzy said. "My whole entire line could flop." She said.

"Do you honestly think that's going to happen?" Talia asked.

"I don't know, but it's a possibility." Izzy pointed out.

"It's also a possibility that your line could be a huge success." Emily said.

"I can't get my hopes up." Izzy said.

"Of course you can." Simon said which caused all the girls to turn their heads. "You remember how popular your preemie baby collection was?" He asked and Izzy nodded. "Everyone didn't just love a preemie collection, they loved the designs, the styles, the colors, the texture. They loved everything. Just like they'll love everything you've created for this line." Simon said and Izzy walked over and hugged him.

"I just don't want to be a failure." Izzy admitted to Simon.

"Your work is being displayed at New York Fashion Week." Simon said. "You are anything but a failure."

"You think so?" Izzy asked.

"I know so." Simon said and they kissed.

"Eww." They heard from behind them, almost forgetting their kids were there. "Do that when you're alone, Talia and I don't need to be exposed to that." Emily said and Izzy and Simon laughed.

They were headed to New York today, a day before the show to get settled. Everyone was coming. Maryse and Robert would be there, Alec, and Magnus would be there since Magnus is also showing, but he was an old pro at this. And Clary and Jace would also be there. Izzy was thankful that her whole family was going to be there supporting her. It was something that calmed their nerves, but also made her want the collection to succeed even more.

Everyone got to the runway, and thankfully Izzy and Magnus together were able to pull strings and get them all seats together. Izzy decided that she needed to be in the audience instead of backstage. She couldn't handle that pressure on top of what she was already feeling. Izzy was still pacing when everyone started to get there.

"Where are the boys?" Izzy asked.

"You think Max, Rafe, and Stephan really want to spend the day at a fashion show?" Magnus laughed and Izzy smiled.

"I thought it was a possibility." Izzy said.

"They're at home." Alec said. "Hopefully not throwing a party because they are in charge Stephan this weekend, and he does not need to be exposed to that."

"Why did I leave my child in the hands with yours?" Jace asked and Magnus and Alec laughed.

"He'll be fine." Alec said. "I hope." He said and everyone laughed.

Everyone was instructed to take their seats and Izzy held tight to Simon's hand. She was about to pass out, but this was her time, so she was excited for that. The show was going amazingly. Izzy was so impressed with Magnus's line that she nearly cried. He was one of her biggest role models in the fashion world, and his opinion meant a lot to her. When her first outfit walked down the runway, Izzy held her breath. She was trying to gauge the reactions of the crowd, but she couldn't read anyone's emotions at the moment. She didn't know if that was because she was so nervous, or because everyone was being stoic, but it was making her even more anxious.

When her collection was finished, the room erupted in applause, and she was asked to stand and take a bow, which she did, and the applause continued. When she sat back down she felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. Her collection was a hit, and everyone here, or at least the majority of the people here loved what she had created, and she couldn't be more proud of herself.

When the show ended they all went back to their hotel rooms. Since the show came with complimentary drinks, everyone was a little tipsy and booked rooms so that they didn't have to drive home. They could all just enjoy themselves. Izzy, Simon, Emily, and Talia said goodbye to everyone and headed up to their rooms. It had been an incredibly long day, and they were all ready to get some sleep.

The minute they got into their room Talia and Emily went to the bathroom to brush their teeth so that they could ready for bed. Izzy assumed it was a rushed job because they were so tired because in 5 to 10 minutes they were both done and jumping into bed. Simon and Izzy both kissed them on the forehead before going into the bathroom to brush their own teeth. When they emerged Talia and Emily were already asleep. They got into bed and Izzy curled into Simon's side and melted into him.

"I'm so proud of you Iz." Simon said and she smiled. "You created a masterpiece today."

"It felt pretty damn good to see it on that runway." Izzy admitted and she felt Simon laugh.

"I always knew you could do it." He said.

"I know, but I didn't always know I could do it." She admitted. "There were times that I thought I would never be good enough, or times where I thought I'd have to give it up in order to raise our girls." She said. "But today proved that I could, and I think I needed that validation. I needed to see it paying off you know?" She asked.

"I totally get it." Simon said. "That's how I felt when I was put on that team for that insane project." He said. "It felt like we weren't making progress at all, and I felt like I was a failure, but than when it worked. When we finally figured it out, everything in me felt lighter." He said and Izzy nodded. "It also helps that I have the best three girls to come home to at the end of every day who proved that I could do anything, no matter how hard it seemed."

"We did that for you?" Izzy asked.

"Every single day." Simon said as he kissed her head. "You three keep me going, and you never gave up on me." He said.

"I've always believed in you." Izzy said. "Just like you've always believed in me. Even when I tried to push you away." Izzy said and Simon smiled.

"You have always been worth it Iz." Simon said honestly. "You still are worth it. And you'll always be worth it." He said and Izzy teared up.

"I love you." She said and Simon kissed her forehead.

"I love you too Iz." Simon said. she rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

"Stop hogging the covers Talia." Izzy heard and she couldn't help but smile.

"I'm not hogging the covers, you just like to hibernate in them. News flash Em, there aren't enough when we share a bed." Talia replied. Simon smiled. She was so sassy, just like Iz.

"Next time you sleep on the floor." Emily replied.

"No way. You're the one complaining, you take the floor." Talia said back.

"I'm older." Emily said, like it was a valid excuse.

"So? That just means you're bigger and take up more room." Talia said.

"I'll have you know I'm a normal height and weight for my age." Emily spit back.

"Girls." Simon said.

"Yes daddy?" They both replied.

"Keep arguing and tomorrow night I share with Talia, and Emily shares with mom, and trust me, if you think there isn't enough room now, you'll be begging for room tomorrow night." Simon said and Izzy couldn't help but smile.

"Okay." They said and the fighting stopped. Izzy sighed and smiled. She loved her life, and she loved every little thing that happened on a daily basis. The fights, the laughs, the tears, the jokes, the insults even. Her life was perfect, and filled with love. That's all she ever needed in life.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Magnus and Alec have been talking about this for some time now, and they finally decided that today was going to be the day they tell Rafe, and the rest of the kids for that matter. Alec was still cautious about the whole thing, but Magnus was more confident than ever in their decision and that did help Alec's reservations. It was a huge step, maybe not a huge as having a kid, or buying a house, but huge nonetheless, and it came with a lot more responsibility and that was the part that scared Alec, but he knew Rafe, and he knew the kind of kid he was, he trusted him, and in the end, that's all he could really do. He just had to trust in his kid and know that he would be responsible and make the right decisions at the end of the day. That's all any parent could really hope for.

Alec was pacing around in their bedroom when Magnus opened the door. He looked up but didn't stop pacing. It wasn't until Magnus walked over and physically stopped him from walking that he finally realized that his feet hurt from how long he had been doing it.

"You need to calm down darling." Magnus said. "You're overthinking this entirely too much." He said.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Magnus?" Alec asked Magnus for the 11th time.

"I'm positive Alexander." Magnus reassured him yet again. "He's 16, almost 17, he can handle this."

"I'm not so sure he can." Alec said. "He's still growing up and maturing. How can we trust him with this?"

"Because he's our son and we have to have faith in the way we raised him." Magnus said and Alec nodded. "Come on darling, let's go share the news." Magnus said as he grabbed Alec's hand. They made their way into the living room where their kids were watching TV.

"Children." Alec said. "We are having a family meeting."

"What did you do Rafe?" Max asked.

"Nothing I swear." He defended. "I got my grades up, I did the dishes last night, and I didn't even get detention this month in school. I'm doing great." Rafe said and Magnus and Alec smiled.

"That you are, and we are very proud of you." Magnus said.

"So what's with the meeting if Rafe is getting yelled at?" Madison asked.

"Well, Rafe, since you've been staying on the straight and narrow lately, and helping more around the house, and with your siblings, we decided that it was finally time for you to take on more responsibility." Magnus said.

"Like what?" Rafe asked.

"Taking your siblings to school. Grocery shopping if you father and I can't go. Carpooling for Max or Madison when they have games and their friends sleep over. That kind of stuff." Alec explained.

"But how?" Rafe asked. "I have to borrow one of your cars for that." He said and Magnus held up a set of keys. "You're kidding right?" He asked.

"No." Magnus said. "You got your license a couple months ago, and you're almost 17. You have extracurriculars, and can't always depend on us if we get hung up at work or something, and like you said, you've been doing great in school lately, and really helping out. You've earned this." Magnus explained.

"Thanks pops." Rafe said as he got up and hugged Magnus and Alec. "This is so cool."

"Wait, so Rafe gets a car because he isn't failing anymore, and he learned out to use a dishwasher?" Max said. "I better be getting a freaking spaceship when I get my license." He said which caused everyone to laugh.

"There are still rules." Alec said and Rafe nodded. "Curfew is 11, but can be midnight if you have a valid excuse, but you must let us know if that happens. No texting and driving, and if it happens, we will find out and take the car from you. Don't be an idiot." Alec said and Rafe nodded again. "If you get mad at us, you can't just drive off somewhere. Driving while angry is just as bad as texting and driving. It's not safe, and if we ask you to pick up milk after school, but you really want to hang out with your friends, we get that, but please, get the milk. Sometimes your father and I are swamped and we'll need help."

"I totally get it. All of those things are reasonable and I promise to obey every single on of them." Rafe said. "Thank you so much for the car. I love you guys."

"We love you too Rafe." Magnus said.

"Well, I have dance in 30 minutes, want to test out your new ride Rafe?" Madison asked and Rafe smiled.

"Hell yea." Rafe said.

"Watch your mouth." Alec said and Rafe smiled.

"Of course." Rafe said and Alec ruffled his hair.

"But you're picking her up as well." Magnus said. "Your dad and I are going to go into the kitchen open a bottle of wine and finish it, so we'll be too intoxicated to do it." He said and they laughed.

"No problem pops." Rafe said.

"Shot gun!" Max yelled.

"No fair! I'm the one going to dance!" Madison yelled.

"Yea, and you'll be getting out of the car." Max said back as he looked at the door. "You snooze you lose sucker!" He said as he ran. Madison grabbed her bag and chased after him

"No fair cheater!" She yelled and the rest just laughed.

"I better go settle that dispute." Rafe said.

"Your car, your rules my man." Alec said. "Good luck." Rafe laughed and walked out of the house and closed the door. Magnus put his arm around Alec and leaned into him.

"Told you he would be responsible." Magnus said and right at the moment they heard a crash. They ran outside and Rafe had hit the mailbox.

"I'll pay for that!" He called out his window and drive away. Magnus and Alec stood on their front porch and looked at their crinkled mailbox and laughed.

"I love you." Magnus said and Alec couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." He said and Magnus kissed her forehead. They made their way back inside and cracked that bottle of wine opened and drank. Everything in their life might not always be perfect, but they damn sure loved it nonetheless. This is what love was, and this is what love always would be.


End file.
